4* 



m. 




7-^J^ 



E S S AYS 



CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 



By JOSEPH SAMUEL C. F. FREY. 



FIFTH EDITION. 



€AREFULLY REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED. 



PREFIXED BY THE AUTHOR'S PORTRAIT. 



*' II" ye love me, keep my commandments>«>Q^ q>~« ^^;<(:-^'' 



NEW YORK: 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 

AND SOLD AT HIS SON's DRUG STORE, NO. 169 BLEECKER-STREET, 

AND BY MESSRS. BARKER AND THOMPSON, BAPTIST 

BOOKSTORE, NO. 122 NASSAU-STREET. 

^.^ 1843. 






[Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by 
Joseph Samuel C. F. Frey, in the Clerk's office of the District 
Court of the southern district of the state of New York.] 



1 



1 



Wm. H. col lEJl, printer, 
No. 5 Hague -street, New York. 






INTRODUCTION. 



The cause of the bible is the cause of God, and the 
only noble cause of men. 

The individual who contributes anything to the more 
wide diffusion of the light which is from heaven, among 
the inhabitants of the earth, promotes that cause, ele- 
vates the human character, and brings the world under 
obligation to him as a benefactor ; at the same time he 
adds a note to the anthem once sung by angels : " Glory 
to God in the highest ! On earth peace ; good will to- 
ward menP In order to do this, it is not indispensable 
that new truth be discovered. The hihle contains an 
entire and perfect theology ; and to take of the things of 
Christ and show them to men, is enough. This the 
Christian may do, as the instrument of the Holy Spirit. 

It is a no less noble or useful work to help a Chris- 
tian brother to clearer and brighter light, than to reflect 
the light on the darkness of unregenerated minds. The 
main design of this book is, to communicate important 
truths to scholars already in the school of Christ. 

The title of the work seems to limit the expectation 
of the reader to the single subject of baptism ; which, 
though it claims the serious regard of every Christian, 
borrows its principal value from the connexion in which 
it stands with all the doctrines of our religion, and the 
prosperity of the church j it being part of the revealed 



IV INTRODUCTION. 

will of our great Lawgiver, and intended by Him, like 
every other part of his religion, for the helping of all 
the rest. No man acquainted with the history of the 
church, can consider the subject of baptism an indiffe- 
rent subject. It is not treated as such, in practice^ by 
Christians of any denomination ; and it claims its due 
share of attention among the important things of the 
kingdom of Christ. 

But it is due to the author of this book to remark, that 
he has done much in elucidating the great principle of all 
reformation, viz. : " The bible is the only and the suffi- 
cient rule of faith and of practice, ^^ There have always 
been those who would either entirely discard this prin- 
ciple, or so modify it that reason might be exalted to a 
pre-eminence over Scripture. The same disposition is 
plainly discernible in our times and country. 

While the lovers of bible truth are faithfully striving 
to give it diffusion, there are men of high literary attain- 
ments, and some who stand up in the public view as 
preachers of Christianity, who do not regard the Scrip- 
tures as ^.perfect and the only standard of religious opinions 
and moral practices. These hold the Scriptures loosely, 
and sometimes warn their hearers of a certain danger in 
submitting their opinions too implicitly to the the bible- 
The following language has recently been employed : 
*' It is plain that his (Milton's) error was founded on his 
reverence for Scripture J^* If there is any meaning in 
this language, it is that " reverence for Scripture^^ is dan- 
gerous. It will be seen that these Essays are written 
on a different principle ; and we blush not to say that 
they uniformly exhibit the highest " reverence for Scrip- 
ture." Such, at least, is their claim. They claim to be 
tried by the Scripture before they are condemned ; and 
* Dr. Channing. 



INTRODUCTION. T 

if they endure not this test, they " refuse not to die." 
We believe that the time approaches when the Protes- 
tant maxim will universally prevail ; when it will be 
admitted that " all Scripture is given by inspiration of 
God, and is profitable.'''' " I love thy commandments: 
above gold, yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all. 
thy precepts concerning all things to be right ; and I 
hate EVERY false way" 

The first of the following Essays will be read with 
interest by every Christian, whether his opinions on the 
subject of baptism accord with those of the author or not ; 
for it applies with equal propriety and force to every 
requirement of God. 

C, P. G. 
Boston, February, 1829* 



PREFACE. 



D:ear reader : The substance of the following Es- 
says was originally delivered in three sermons, which 
were occasioned by the change of my views on the sub- 
ject of baptism. No sooner was the change publicly 
known, than two questions were naturally and frequent- 
ly asked, viz. : What arguments produced this change ? 
and what circumstances led to it now^ rather than for- 
merly 1 The following Essays answer the first query ^ 
and the circumstances which led me to investigate the 
subject now, rather than formerly, are briefly these : 

The reader is probably already informed that I was 
brought up in the Jewish faith until I was twenty-five 
years of age. Some time after I had made a public pro- 
fession of the Christian religion I was received a stu- 
dent in the Missionary Seminary, at Berlin, in Prussia. 
In 1801 I went to England at the request of the London 
Missionary Society. A few months after my arrival in 
London the directors resolved that I should preach to 
the Jews. To prepare myself for that work, I was sent 
to their seminary, at Gosport, under the care of the late 
venerable Dr, Bogue. Here I spent the four happiest 
years in my life. 

During this period my time was taken up with the 
investigation of the general doctrines of Christianity, 
and particularly the subjects of controversy between 
Jews and Christians. Baptism was considered a sub- 
ject of comparatively little importance. In the doctor's 
MS. Theological Lectures the arguments in favour of 



Viil PREFACH. * 

sprinkling and infant baptism are represented in a strong 
light, while those of the opposite party are but slightly- 
mentioned. The view given of the subject as analogous 
to circumcision, and to the sprinkling of water and of 
blood, the Christian church to be a continuation of the 
Jewish church, was peculiarly pleasing to my natural 
attachment to Judaism, and prevented any farther inquiry 
into the truth of the statement. 

The fact of my being a convert of the Jewish nation} 
together with my situation as a missionary or agent to 
promote the conversion of the Jews, has called me so 
often to travel and to preach, as to leave me but little or 
no time for the study of any subjects besides those con- 
nected with my immediate labours. But that which had 
the most powerful influence to keep my conscience at 
rest on this subject was the idea so commonly advanced, 
that baptism is a mere ceremony^ and, therefore, of no im- 
portance ; for having, as a Jew, been so long led astray 
by Jewish ceremonies, I paid no attention to th6 contro- 
versy on baptism till the occurrence of the following 
circumstance : 

At the christening of one of my children, together 
with others, the minister exhorted us to bring up our 
" children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." 
This Scriptural, solemn, and affectionate exhortation was 
enforced by observing, " These children are now members 
of the church, adopted into the family of God, (SfcP 
These declarations were forcibly impressed upon my 
mind, as if I had never heard them before. They ap- 
peared to me at that moment inconsistent with the 
doctrine of perseverance. I resolved, therefore, not to 
present another child of my own, nor to baptize the 
children of any others, before I had thoroughly investi^ 
gated the subject. 



PREFACE. IX 

Ever after, for more than two years, I introduced the 
subject in conversation with ministers in my travels, 
almost in every place where I preached, for the purpose 
of obtaining information. The general notion, that the 
Christian church is a continuation of the Jewish church, 
illustrated by the olive tree and the parable of the tares 
and the wheat, formed peculiar difficulties in my mind, 
and I expressed them freely to my brethren, as some 
will doubtless remember. In June, 1827, the I^ord 
blessed me with another child. Immediately my resolu- 
tion to investigate the subject of baptism before I could 
present another child, came to my recollection. Accor- 
dingly, I gave myself to reading, meditation, and prayer. 
After carefully comparing the best books on both sides 
of the question with the Word of God, I came to the 
full conviction that believers are the only subjects of 
baptism, and that immersion is the only Scriptural mode, 
I now felt it my duty to obey the command of my Lord 
and Saviour, to be bEiptized, i. e., immersed. Therefore, 
without conferring with flesh and blood, or fearing the 
consequences, I proposed myself as a candidate to the 
Baptist church, in New York, under the pastoral care 
of the Rev, A, Maclay, by whom I was baptized on 
Lord's day, August 28, 1827. 

I was aware that the subject would excite much atten- 
tion ; that many of my best friends would be displeased, 
and others would not hesitate to ascribe my conduct to 
improper motives, especially to that of " filthy lucre." 
But surely, if such had been my motives, I not only 
acted most basely, but also, most foolishly, in leaving the 
large, rich, and respectable body of Presbyterians, among 
whom I have everywhere met with the greatest hos- 
pitality and friendship, to join a denomination who are 
said " to be only the poor and despised among the peo- 



X PREFACE. 

pie," and who have been everywhere spoken against, 
hated, and persecuted, often, even unto death. 

To whatever motives, however, my change may be 
ascribed by others, it is an unspeakable comfort to my 
own mind that I have done it as a solemn religious 
duty, and can cheerfully leave the consequences to my 
covenant God, whom I have the honour and privilege to 
serve in the gospel of Christ, " who is over all God bless- 
ed for ever." 

I cannot omit mentioning in this place a circumstance 
which, considered by itself, might appear trifling, but, in 
its connexion, has become an important link in the chain. 
Among the books which I read, alluded to above, was 
the original work of the reverend and venerable Abraham 
Booth, " Pedobaptism Examined J^ These two volume;? 
he himself presented to me in 1805, when I resided in 
London, a near neighbour to him, saying, " Accept these 
books as a token of respect, and read them at your 
leisure." I thankfully accepted ike gift, and kept it 
carefully in memory of the " man of God," whom I 
highly esteemed and venerated ; but I was totally igno- 
rant on this subject, and, therefore, could not value the 
rich treasure contained in these volumes, which lay on 
my shelf covered with dust for the space of twenty-two 
years. Now, while searching for truth, I began to ex- 
amine this ** Examination of Pfedobaptism." Here I 
found the Scripture mode of baptism by immersion, and 
believers the only subjects, demonstrated and proved, 
and all objections answered, in such a masterly manner, 
that I am firmly persuaded these books never can be 
refuted. It is with peculiar pleasure I take this oppor- 
tunity of acknowledging myself a debtor to these volumes 
for much aid in my investigations, and for many of the 
testimonies from the writings of the most pious and 



prefac:b. m 

learned Pedobaptists contained in the following pages. 
Soon after I had preached on the subject of baptism, 
the sermons were repeatedly requested for publication. 
"While preparing them for the press, I received several 
books in favour of Pedobaptism from some of my Pres- 
byterian friends, for which I now publicly thank them. 
These treatises I have read carefully, and I do most 
sincerely declare that they have served only to establish 
me more firmly in my new views on the subject of bap- 
tism. This circumstance will account for the enlarge- 
ment of the work, and for the delay of its publication^ 
and has occasioned its present form. By almost every 
author I read, the ground on which infant baptism had 
been placed by a former author was overturned or de- 
clared untenable, and a new foundation laid. Every new 
opinion I met with on this side of the question I weigh- 
ed in the balance of the sanctuary, and found it wanting. 

The perusal of Dr, L. Wood's Lectures in particular 
convinced me of the importance of adding the Jirsf Essay 
to the original matter. Dr, W., in the beginning of his 
work, page 11, declares : " It is a plain case that there 
is no express precept respecting infant baptism in our 
sacred writings. The proof, then, that infant baptism is 
a divine institution, must be made out in another way." 
A want of attention to the nature and obligation of a 
positive institution of God has left many to take unwar- 
ranted liberties in altering the mode of administering the 
ordinance, and the qualifications of its subjects ; and 
others to neglect it altogether, as a matter perfectly 
indifferent. 

The solemn charge brought against the pious and 
venerable Mr. Booth, that " in his quotations he had 
misrepresented the sense of the authors," has led me to 
examine and compare every quotation with the original 



XU PREFACE. 

work, as far as it was in my power ; and I am happy 
to say his faithfulness in quoting them is equal to his 
good judgment and unparalleled industry in selecting 
and collecting them. This of course required some 
time, and is another cause of the delay of this book. 
Although these Essays may afford but little new informa- 
tion to those who have already examined the subject 
thoroughly, yet they are considered by competent judges 
as calculated to remove prejudices, to diffuse the truth 
as it is in Jesus, and to put away human inventions from 
God's holy worship. Notwithstanding the variety of 
excellent and useful treatises already before the public, 
yet some are too short to meet every objection, and 
others are too large and expensive for general usefulness. 
In the present work a proper medium has been aimed 
at, and the public will be able to judge how far the 
author has been successful. 

To avoid every expression in the least calculated to 
give offence, has been my desire and care ; but, as per- 
fection cannot be expected in this life, I hope the reader 
will ascribe every failure in this particular to inattention 
rather than design. The reader, and especially the 
reviewer, will please to remember that the author is a 
foreigner, and does not profess to be a master of the 
English language. A sense of his deficiencies in this 
respect would certainly have prevented him from thus 
appearing before the public ; but the persuasion of his 
friends, a conviction of duty " to give a reason " for his 
conduct, and a desire to be useful to others, have pre- 
vailed with him to publish these Essays. Should this 
humble attempt prove a blessing to the reader, the glory 
shall be to Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, world 
without end. Amen. 

Newark J February ^ 182U. 



PREFACE 

TO THE SECOND EDITION, 



The rapid sale of the former edition, the encomiums 
of reviewers, and the frequent calls for the work, have 
encouraged the author to revise and publish this edition. 

Among the many publications on baptism, the author 
has met with comparatively few of a practical nature. 
He has, therefore, added the sixth Essay. 

The contents of the work are given at full length, to 
facilitate a reference to the different parts. 

That the work may prove an extensive and lasting 
blessing to every reader, and greatly promote the glory 
of Jehovah, is the most sincere prayer of 

The Author, 

Newark, N. J., February ^ 1830. 



PREFACE 

TO THE PRESENT EDITION. 



In sending forth the fifth edition of these Essays, the 
author would simply notice : 

That, the work having been out of print for several 
years, and repeated inq;uiries haying been made for it, 
he consented at last to reprint it. 

Having travelled extensively, the author has had 
many opportunities of hearing objections, both new and 
©Id, in justification of their neglect of " Scripture bap- 
tism ;" these excuses and objections the author has 
carefully examined and refuted, which has greatly 
enlarged the work. 

He has also added a seventh Essay, containing much 
information respecting the future prospects of the Jews. 

To facilitate a reference to any part of the work, the 
present edition is furnished with a full contents of the 
subjects, and an index of quotations from authors, and 
references to passages of Scripture. 

That the Holy Spirit may enable the reader to receive 
the truth contained in this work with meekness and 
with love, is the prayer of 

The Author. 
New York, March, 1848* 



INDEX TO QUOTATIONS 

From the Writings of Pedobaptists^ contained in the 
following Essays. 



Addington, Dr., 66. 
Alstedius, 114. 
Anonymous, 101. 
Assembly of Divines, 74, 

202. 
Augsburg Confession, 100, 

201. 
Augusti, 116, 201. 
Austin, 53, 112. 
Alsop, Vincent, 197. 

B 

Ball, 93. 
Barrow, Dr., 59. 
Basil Confession, 99. 
Baxter, 44, 46, 51, 59. 
Bede, 208. 

Belgia Confession, 99. 
Bellamy, Dr., 28, 224. 
Bennet, Bp., 32, 120, 
Beza, 116, 128. 
Black, Mr., 75. 
Bogue, Dr., 276. 
Bohemia Confession, 201. 



Booth, Mr., 60, 95, 119, 
143,193,210,212,257. 
Boston, Th., 50. 
Bradbury, 32, 88, 119,205. 
Brook, Lord, 94. 
Brown, J., 102, 163. 
Brownlee, Dr., 173. 
Buck's Diet., 163. 
Buddeus,34, 113, 146,148. 
Burkitt, Bp., 77. 
Burmannus, 131. 
Burnett, Bp., 34. 
Butler, Bp., 27. 



Calorius, 60. 

Calvin, John, 55, 58, 76, 
88, 113, 136, 139,203. 
Campbell, Dr., 145. 
Carpzovius, 63, 171. 
Carson, 115, 177,178, 180. 
Catachism, (large,) 80, 81. 
Cattenburgh, 91. 
Cawdrey, 49. 
Cellarius, 50. 
Chambers, 54. 



XVI 



LIST OF AUTHORS QUOTED. 



Charnock, 88. 
Chauncy, Dr., 100. 
Chrysostom, 54. 
Chase, Prof. J., 242. 
Clagget, Dr., 155. 
Clarke, Dr. A., 134. 
Clarke, Dr. S., 33, 94. 
Clerk, Le, 139. 
Cocceius, 55. 
Collins, 43. 
Cornelius, 73. 
Cotton, 100. 
Cowdrey, 49. 
Cox, Dr., 85, 89. 
Curcellaeus, 55. 
Ciirtlerus, 116. 
Cyprian, 200. 
Cyril, 188. 

D 

Danverse, 54. 
De Courcy, 114. 
De Superville, 129. 
Deylingius, 146, 170. 
Doddridge, 65, 68,71,77, 

139, 140, 208. 
Dwight, Dr., 153. 
Dutch Ref. Church Conf., 

203. 



Edward, John, 60. 
Edwards, Jonathan, 27, 55. 
Episcopal Conf., 100, 201. 
Estius, 150. 
Ewing, G., 113. 



Faber,S., 268, 269,270. 
Ferguson, 111. 



Flayer, Dr., 191. 
Frankius, 125. 
Franklin,' Dr., 191. 
French Confession, 99. 
Fritchie, Professor, 116. 
Fuller, an Episcopalian, 50. 

G 

Gale, Dr., 178. 
Gerard, Dr., 38. 
Gerhardus, 34, 38. 
Gomarus, 58. 
Goodman, Dr., 31. 
Goodwin, Dr., 28. 
Greek church, 201. 
Gregory Nazianzen, 54. 
Griffin, Dr., 172. 
Grosvenor, Dr., 39, 198. 
Gurtlems, 189. 

H 

Hall, Arch., 35, 108, 192, 

256. 
Hammond, 65, 73, 129, 

184. 
Hebden, 88. 
Hederic, 113. 
Heidanus, 141. 
Heidegger, 33. 
Helvetia Conf., 99, 201. 
Henry, Matt., 60, 76, 203, 

278. 
Hinton, 49, 64, 121, 127, 

133,135, 137,179,180, 

188. 
Hoadly, Bp., 39. 
Holland, Dr., 54. 
Hoornbeekius, 56. 
Hopkins, Bp., 43. 



LIST OF AUTHORS QUOTED. 



XVll 



Home, Bp., 154. 
Horsey, Bp., 75. 
Horsley, Bp., 272. 
Hunter, Dr., 193. 



James, J. A., 221, 238. 
Jennings, Dr., 107, 170. 
Jerubbaal, 36. 
Jortin, Dr., 128, 142. 

K 

Keckermannus, 190. 
King, Lord Chan., 207. 



Lange, Professor, 129. 
Lawson, 53. 
Leigh, Cr. Sac., 114. 
Lewis, J., 122. 
Liberius, Pope, 187. 
Limborch, 50, 55, 58, 65, 

74. 
Lomeierum, 43. 
Luther, Dr., 50, 151, 229. 

M 

IVPLean, 218. 
Maccovius, 58. 
Maimonides, 177. 
Marloratus, 140. 
Marshall, 43. 
Martin, Dr., 125. 
Martyr, Justin, 200, 207. 
Mastricht, 100. 
Mason, Dr. J., 157, 160,- 
162, 163. 



Mather, Cotton, 100. 
Mede, Joseph, 268. 
Meierus, 55. 
Menochius, 68. 
Minter, 183. 
Montesquieu, 32, 118. 

N 

Neander, Prof., 72. 
Newcome, Archbishop, 
270,271,273. 

O 

Observer, New York, 190, 

205. 
Owen, Dr., 34, 43, 59, 65, 

107, 172, 192,255. 



Palmer, Samuel, 50, 58, 
Parkhurst, 113. 
Perkins, W., 189. 
Pictetus, 150, 207. 
Pierson, Dr., 108. 
Piscator, 139. 
Poole, 70, 77. 

R 

Reynold, Bp., 125, 189, 
Ridgley, Dr., 101, 120. 
Robinson, 133, 145. 
Rogue, De La, 54. 
Rost, Prof., 117. 

S 

Salmanius, 14L 



XYill 



LIST OF AUTHORS QUOTED. 



Saurin, 58. 

Saxony Conf., 100, 201. 
Scabula, 1 12. 
Scaliger, 178. 
Schmidius, 189. 
Schleusner, 113. 
Schrevelius, 113. 
Scott, Dr., 219. 
Seeker, Abp., 192. 
Shannon, 132. 
Sherlock, Dr., 28, 29. 
Smith, Bp., 141. 
Stapferus, 49. 
Stephanus, 112. 
SuevelandConf., 100,201. 



Taylor, Bp., 30, 32, 36,53. 
Tertullian, 200. 
Tillotson, Bp., 189. 
Toletus, 68. 
Tombs, 95. 
Towerson, Dr., 50. 
Trent, Counsel of, 201. 
Turrettin, 33, 35, 120, 126. 



Venema, 54,90, 114, 146, 
170. 



Vitringa, 94, 113. 
Vossius, 150. 

W 

Wadsworth, 37. 

Walaeus, 189. 

Wall, Dr., 49, 54, 146, 191, 

207. 
Waterland, 36. 
Watts, Dr., 56, 108,245. 
Wesley, John, 130, 191. 
Westminster Conf., 201. 
Whitby, Dr., 65, 74, 108, 

130. 
Whitfield, Geo., 130. 
Wilson, 59. 
Witsiiis, 65, 83, 113, 126, 

136, 148, 253. 
Wittenburg Conf., 201. 
Worcester, Dr., 60. 



Xavier, 187. 



Zanchius, 113, 142. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Introduction. iii. 

Preface. - vii. 

List of Authors quoted. -------- xv. 

Contents. -- xix. 

ESSAY I. 

General ohservations on positive lams and institutions, 25 

The nature of a positive law essentially differs 
from that of a moral law. ib. 

The obligation to obey a positive law arises solely 
from the authority of the Lawgiver. - - - - 27 

The law of the institution is the only rule of obedi- 
ence. 28 

The law of a positive institution must be so plain 
and explicit as to stand in no need of any other 
assistance to understand it but the mere letter of 
the law. 31 

None but the Lawgiver himself has a right to alter 
a positive institution. 33 

Nothing must be added to, or taken from, a positive 
institution. 34 

It is highly criminal to neglect or slight a positive 
institution. --- 36 

Summary. 39 

Importance of the preceding rules in connexion 
with baptism. 41 



XX CONTENTS. 

ESSAY II. 
Believers the only subjects of baptism* 42 
Infants not proper subjects for baptism. - - - - ib. 
Religious observance need a divine command or ex- 
ample. ib. 

Scripture contains neither precept nor example for 

infant baptism ,----- 44 

Infant baptism, therefore, must be displeasing to God. 52 
Children of pious parents were baptized when adults. 53 

Acknowledged by Pedobaptists. 54 

None but believers, say Pedobaptists, can derive 
benefit from baptism. -.------55 

ESSAY lit. 
Arguments in favour of infant baptism stated and 
refuted. 57 

1. Scriptures are appealed to for sanction, viz. : - ib. 

The commission. -ib. 

The promise to children, Acts 2 : 38, 39. - - 61 
Children said to be holy. Rom. 11 : 16. 1. 
Cor. 7:14.---- . . ^Q 

2. The practice of the apostles in baptizing house- 

holds. 72 

3. Our Lord's conduct to children. ------ 76 

4. Analogy between the Old and New Testament. 77 

The argument stated. 78 

Two covenants made with Abraham. - - - - 79 
The covenant of grace described. - - - - 80 
Revealed to Abraham when 75 years of age. - 81 

Covenant of circumcision. ib. 

Difference between these covenants. - - - - 85 

5. Circumcision said to be a sign and seal. - - 86 

6. Baptism is said to have come in place of circum- 

cision. - --89 



CONTENTS. XXI 

Analogy between baptism and circumcision does 
not agree. - 91 

Positive institutions do not admit of analogy. - - 93 
Other reasons prove that baptism did not come in 
place of circumcision. 96 

7. The Christian church said to be a continuation 

of the Jewish church. --- - - - - -97 

Definition of the word church. - - - - - - ib. 

Character of the members of the Christian church. 99 
No church from Adam till Moses. - - - - 104 

Nor during the Mosaic dispensation. - - - - ib. 

National covenant, but no church. - - - - 105 

8. Infant baptism said to be an apostolical tradition. 109 

ESSAY IV. 
Immersion the only Scriptural mode of baptism, 

1. The signification of the word used. - - - - 111 

1. The Greeks have different words for applying 

water. -ib. 

The word baptizein always used with respect 

to the ordinance. 112 

2. Baptizein signifies to immerse, acknowledged 

by Pedobaptists. ib. 

3. All translations of the word used by translators 

is immersion. 120 

King James prohibited the translation of the word. 122 
In the Hebrew New Testament the word taval 

is used. ib. 

4. The metaphorical use of the word proves im- 

mersion. --- 123 

2. The places selected for baptism. 133 

3. The practice of the primitive churches was im- 

mersion. 140 



XXU CONTENTS. 

4. The practice of the Greek church has uniformly 

been immersion. 145 

5. The design of baptism proves immersion. - - 148 

ESSAY V. 
Objections answered. 
I. No precept for females to the Lord's supper, or 

change of the sabbath. 152 

3. No law against infant baptism. ----- 154 

3. The Christian church a continuation of the Jew- 

ish church. ---157 

4. The church, it is said, commenced with Abraham. 162 

5. Unbelievers, it is said, have been received into 

the church ; why not children ? - - - - ib. 

Hypocrites in the Jewish church. - - - - 163 
The wicked and the righteous grow up together. 

Parab. tares, net, and ten virgins. - - - 165 

Our Lord received Judas — or devil. - - - - ib. 

6. The Abrahamic covenant still in force. - - 166 

7. John imitating proselyte baptism. 167 

Similarity between John's baptism and that of 

the apostles. 170 

Whether the twelve disciples (Acts 19) were 

rebaptized by PauH 175 

8. The word haptizo^ it is said, signifies to wash. 176 
Washing hands, &c. -------- ib. 

Naaman, the Leper. 180 

9. The 3000 baptized could not have been by im- 

mersion. 184 

10. To be baptized with the Holy Ghost could not 

mean immersion. --187 

11. Immersion is said to be dangerous. - - - 18^ 

12. Indecency is another objection. - - - - 195 



CONTENTS. XXIII 

13. The mode is said to be of no importance. - 195 

14. Not essential. 198 

Pedobaptists make it essential. - - - - 200 

15. Close communion. -.- 206 

16. The poor and illiterate only are Baptists. - 209 

ESSAY YL 

Practical improvement. 

Sermon on the mount explained and recommended. 215 

Other precepts delivered by Christ. 223 

Arguments to enforce obedience to Christ's laws. 224 
The authority of the Lawgiver. ----- ib. 

They are dictated by wisdom that could not err. - 225 
They are enforced by love. - - - - - - 226 

Our profession at baptism enforces obedience. - ib. 
The disciples of Christ characterized by self-denial 

and bearing the cross. 228 

Brotherly love. -.. 232 

Fruitfulness. ----- 233 

Works of righteousness and justice. - * - - 236 

Their qualities. --- - 239 

Their quantity. -241 

The glory of God and the honour of religion re- 
quire obedience. -- 242 

It is necessary to assurance. ------- 244 

Closing address to Pedobaptists. 255 

" " " Baptists. 257 

ESSAY VIL 
Chrisfs Church a Baptist Church, 258 

There was no church before the day of Pentecost. 259 
That church was composed of converted Jews. - ib. 

They were all Baptists. 260 

So were all those who were added during the first 
century. ib. 



XXIV CONTENTS. 

The Jews, as a nation, will return again to their own 

land before their conversion. 260 

Their return cannot be far off. - • ib. 

This is evident from Scripture. - ib. 

And from the signs of the time. 263 

Petition presented, and Turkey subdued. - - - 265 
The Jews will rebuild Jerusalem, erect a temple, 

and offer up sacrifices. - ib. 

Their conversion will be miraculous. - - - - 266 
They will be the instruments of the conversion of 

the heathen nations. 269 

The church of Christ will th^n be again a Baptist 

church. ------- 277 

A petition to restore the Jews. 280 

A letter addressed to the House of Peers on the 

same subject. 285 

Gentiles praying for the Jews — a hymn. - - - 305 
The increase of the church promised and pleaded 

— a hymn. 306 

Index to passages of Scripture quoted. - - - - 307 



ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 



ESSAY L 

General Observations on Positive Laws or Institutions. 

1. The nature of a positive law essentially differs 
from that of a moral law. The matter of a moral law, 
whether it be of the nature of a requirement or of a pro- 
hibition, commends itself as holy, -just, and good, and 
must, therefore, be unchangeable, and of perpetual obli- 
gation ; but a positive law, whether to do or to omit, has 
nothing either of good or evil in itself, and is binding 
only by virtue of its being enacted ; and, therefore, may 
be changed at the will and pleasure of the lawgiver. 
Thus the moral law contained in the ten commandments, 
written by the finger of Jehovah on two tables of stone, 
and comprised by our Lord and Saviour in two com- 
mandments orconstitutionalprinciples, viz., love to God 
and love to men, is so reasonable and so necessary that 
heathen philosophers, who had never been favoured with 
the light of Divine Revelation, taught and enforced the 
observance of many of the duties enjoined in it. Rom. 
1 : 19-32.* 

* The fourth commandment, so far as it relates to the particular 
day of the week, and the part of time to be devoted to the worship 
of God, is of the nature of a positive institution, and was, therefore, 
liable to be changed by the Institutor ; but the keeping of some 

3 



26 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Positive laws are such as the prohibition from eating 
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ; or the 
command to sprinkle the blood of the passover lamb 
on the door-posts. It is obvious that Adam's eating or 
not eating of that tree might have been a thing as 
indifferent to good or evil as the eating or not eating of 
any other tree in the garden ; but, because God had 
positively forbidden it, the eating of it became a crime^ 
the awful consequences of which are felt to the present 
day. In like manner, the mere sprinkling of blood on 
the door-posts, or the omission of it, had nothing good or 
bad in itself; but if the Israelites had neglected the 
doing of it in that night in which Jehovah had positively 
required it, their omission would have been criminal, and 
their " first-born " would have been exposed to the sword 
of the destroying angel. The same distinction is evident 
in the two laws given to Moses on Mount Sinai ; the 
moral law and the ceremonial law. The former is of 
perpetual obligation upon all rational beings. Men were 
as much bound to love God and their neighbour before 
that law was engraven upon the tables of stone, as after- 
ward. But the ceremonial law was binding on the chil- 
dren of Israel exclusively, and that only during a certain 
period ; for there was no intrinsic value in it. Hence 
God himself testifies that "these statutes were not good,*^ 
i. e., there was no good in themselves, only as they were 
to answer a certain end ; and, when that end was accom- 
plished, their observance was no more needed than 
before their appointment. This brief statement we 
think suiSicient to justify our next observation, viz. : 

time holy, or the duty of worshipping the Creator, is of. a mofal 
Dature, and is, therefore, unchangeable and perpetually obligatory* 
The first day of the week, or the Lord's day, has been substituted 
hy him. for the seventh day. 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 27 

2. That the obligation to obey a positive law arises 
solely from the authority of the lawgiver. 

Our obligation to obedience arises not from the nature 
of the law, but from the authority and will of the legis- 
lator. If God commands a thing which was before 
indifferent, it is as much a law as if it were ever so good 
in its own nature. As soon as we are satisfied that an 
institution is divine, it is our duty to observe it, although 
we may not see its necessity or utility. The command 
to Abraham to sacrifice his son was a positive order, 
and a very strange one too ; seemingly opposite to some 
moral orders given out before ; and yet his disposition 
to obey, when he was sure of a divine warrant in the 
case, has placed him at the head of all the believing 
world ; as hero of faith, the father of the faithful, and 
the friend of God. 

" Moral precepts," says the learned Bishop Butler^ 
" are precepts, the reason of which we see ; positive pre- 
cepts are precepts, the reason of which we do not see. 
Moral duties arise out of the nature of the case itself 
prior to external command ; positive duties do not arise 
out of the nature of the case, but from external command ; 
nor would they be duties at all, were it not for such 
command, received from Him, whose creatures and 
subjects we are." Analogy of Religion, Part 2, ch. L 

The pious Jonathan Edwards, whose praise is in all 
the churches, justly observes : " Positive precepts are 
the greatest and most proper trial of obedience ; because 
in them the mere authority and will of the legislator is 
the sole ground of the obligation, and nothing in the 
nature of the things themselves ; and, therefore, they 
are the greatest trial of any person's respect to that 
authority and will." Sermons^ p. 232. Sermons on 
Imp. Sub. J p. 79. 



28 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

The words of Dr. Sherlock shall close this observa- 
tion : " What is matter of institution depends wholly 
upon the divine will and pleasure ; and, though all men 
will grant that God and Christ have always great reason 
for their institutions, yet it is not the reason, but the 
authority, which makes the institution. Though we do 
not understand the reasons of the institution, if we see 
the command, we must obey ; and though we could fancy 
a great many reasons why there should be such an 
institution, if no such institution appear, we are free, and 
ought not to believe there is such an institution because we 
think there are reasons assigned why it should beJ* 
Preserv, against Pop., Title 9, p. 419. 

3. The law of the institution is the only rule of obe- 
dience. From the preceding observations it is evident 
that positive institutions in religion derive their whole 
being from the sovereign pleasure of God, and that his 
pleasure can be known only from his revealed will. It 
fullows, therefore, that we cannot know anything about 
the precise nature, the true design, the proper objects of 
them, or the right mode of their administration, farther 
than the Scriptures teach, either in plain, positive pre- 
cepts, or by clear example. For, as Dr, Goodwin ob- 
serves : " There is this difference between doctrinal 
truths and institutions, that one truth maybe, by reason, 
better fetched out of another, and more safely and easily, 
than institutions. For one truth begets another, and 
truth is infinite in the consequences of it ; but so institu- 
tions are not." Works, vol. 4. Government of the 
Church of Christ, ch. 4, p. 21. 

Moral duty may be proved by illation ; for a genuine 
inference from a moral principle, relating to things of a 
moral nature, has all the certainty of the principle itself; 
and it is a just observation of Dr. Bellamy, that " the 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 29 

inspired writings of the Old Testament consider these 
two maxims, that we must love God with all our hearts, 
and our neighbour as ourselves, as first and fundamental 
principles : and all the various duties which they urge 
respecting God or our fellow- men are but so many infer- 
ences and deductions from them." True Religion Deline- 
ated,^. 143. But, when J905^^^1t;e duties are under our 
notice ; when either the manner of performing those 
duties, or the proper subject of them is before us, the case 
is greatly altered. For, the inquiry being entirely into 
the sovereign pleasure of God, concerning an article of 
human duty, which absolutely depends on a manifesta- 
tion of the divine will, the nature of the case forbids our 
expecting any intelligence relating to it, except that 
which arises from divine precept or Scriptural pre- 
cedent. 

How strong and just is the language of Dr. Sherlock 
to the present purpose : " I would not be thought wholly 
to reject a plain and evident consequence from Scrip- 
ture ; but yet I will never admit of a mere consequence 
to prove an institution, which must be delivered in plain 
terms, as all laws ought to be ; and, where I have no 
other proof but some Scripture consequences, I shall not 
think it equivalent to a Scripture proof. If the conse- 
quence be plain and obvious, and such as every man 
sees, I shall not question it : but remote, and dubious, 
and disputed consequences, if we have no better evi- 
dence, to be sure, are a very ill foundation for articles of 
faith or ordinances of worship. Let a Protestant, then, 
tell such disputants that, for the institution of sacra- 
ments and for articles of faith, he expects plain, positive 
proofs : that, as much as the Protestant faith is charged 
with uncertainty, we desire a little more certainty for 
our faith than mere inferences from Scripture, and 
3* 



30 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

those none of the plainest neither." Preserv. against 
Pop,, vol. 2. Appendix, p. 23. 

On this principle all Protestants proceed, when con- 
tending with Roman Catholics about their claims of pre- 
rogatives and their numerous rites, viz., that nothing short 
of an explicit grant, a positive command, or a plain ex- 
ample in the New Testament can prove their divine 
origin. Instances might be multiplied : a few shall be 
given hereafter. In like manner do Non-conformists 
demand of Episcopalians, saying — " Produce your war- 
rant for this, that, and the other from our only rule of 
faith and practice, a divine precept or an apostolic example 
relating to the point in disputed So, when Moses was 
directed to make the Tabernacle, nothing was left to his 
wisdom, prudence, or judgment ; but " see, saith the 
Lord, that thou make all things according to the pattern 
shewed to thee in the mount." Heb. 8: 5. Nor does 
it appear from the records of the Old Testament that, 
when Jehovah appointed any branch of ritual worship, 
he left either the subjects of it or the mode of adminis- 
tration to be inferred by the people from the relation 
in which they stood to himself, or from general moral 
precepts, or from any branch of his moral worship, nor 
yet from any other well-known po^i/jve rite ; but he gave 
them special directions relating to the very case ; and 
those directions they were bound to regard, whether they 
appeared in a pleasing or a painful light. I shall close 
this observation in the words of the pious and learned 
Bishop Taylor : " All positive precepts, that depend on 
the mere will of the lawgiver, admit no degrees nor sup- 
pletory and commutation ; because in such laws we see 
nothing beyond the words of the law, and the first mean- 
ing, and the named instance ; and, therefore, it is that in 
individuo which God points at ; it is that in which he 



ESSAY I.] POSITITE LAWS. 31 

will make the trial of our obedience ; it is that in which 
he will so perfectly be obeyed, that he will not be dis- 
puted with nor inquired of why and how^ but just accord- 
ing to the measures there set down : So, and no more, 
and no less, and no otherwise. For, when the will of the 
lawgiver be all the reason, the first instance of the law 
is all the measures, and there can be no product but what 
is just set down. No parity of reason can infer any- 
thing else ; because there is no reason but the will of 
God, to which nothing can be equal, because his will 
can be but one." Ductor Dub., B. 2, ch. 3, ^ 18. 

4. The law of a positive institution must be so plain 
and explicit as to stand in no need of any other assis- 
tance to understand it but the mere letter of the law. As 
a rule must be straight, not bent nor crooked, if we would 
draw direct lines by it, so must laws be plain, and ex- 
pressed in words whose signification is well understood, 
for they are for the direction of the common people as 
well as for the learned. They must be as the words of 
a father to his family. Hence our Pedobaptist brethren, 
in their arguments against popish traditions and super- 
stitions, consider it not only necessary that a positive 
law should be plain, but nothing less than blasphemy to 
suppose that either Christ or his apostles delivered their 
mind in words or expressions that are ambiguous, or 
cannot easily be understood. I will not multiply quota- 
tions, but select only a few. 

^^ The term institution,''^ says Dr. Goodman, "implies 
a setting up de novo, or the appointing that to become a 
duty which was not knowable ; or at least not known 
to be so before it became so appointed. For this word 
institution is that which we use to express a positive 
command by, in opposition to that which is moral in 
the strictest sense and of natural obligation. Now, it is 



32 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

very evident that all things of this nature ought to be 
appointed very plainly and expressly, or else they can 
carry no obligation with them : for, seeing the whole 
reason of their becoming matter of law or duty, lies in 
the will of the legislator ; if that be not plainly discover- 
ed, they cannot be said to be instituted, and so there can 
be no obligation to observe them ; because, where there 
is no law, there can he no transgression ; and a law is 
no law, in effect, which is not sufficiently promulgated." 
Preserv, against Pop., Title 8, p. 7. 

Baron Montesquieu observes : " The style (of laws) 
should be plain and simple — a direct expression being 
always better understood than in indirect one ; it is an 
essential article, that the words of the laws should (be 
adapted to) excite in everybody the same ideas. The 
laws ought not to be subtile ; they are designed for people 
of common understanding, not as an art of logic, but as 
the plain reason of a father to a family." Spirit of Laws, 
B. 29, ch. 16. 

Mr. Benjamin Bennet : '* 'Tis a reproach to the Law- 
giver, blasphemy against him, to suppose that any of his 
upright, sincere subjects cannot find out the meaning of 
his laws, with all their care and diligence, even in the 
necessary essential points of their faith and obedience." 
Irenicum, p. 60. 

Mr» Bradhury : ** The words (of our Lord, Matt. 
28; 19) ought to be taken in their plain and natural 
sense, because they are a lasting form to the end of time. 
For Christ to give us expressions that people cannot 
understand would be only to abuse them. 'Tis unworthy 
of Him who is the light of the world, in whose mouth 
there was no guile. (Such) is the plain and natural 
sense of the words ; and, therefore, to twine and torture 
them with conjectures and maybes, is making Christ not 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 33 

a teacher, but a barbarian^ by not uttering words that 
are easy to be understood." Duty and DocL of Bapt.j 
pp. 150, 173. 

Bishop Taylor remarks : " It is certain God put no 
disguises upon his own commandments, and the words 
are meant plainly and heartily ; and the farther you re- 
move from their ^r^^ sense, the more you have lost the 
purpose of your rule." Ductor Dubit ant, B. I, ch. l,p.26. 

From the preceding observations we make the follow- 
ing remark : 

5. None but the Lawgiver himself has a right to 
alter a positive institution. Nothing is more common 
than for Protestant Pedobaptists to urge the necessity of 
adhering, strictly adhering, to the original institution in 
administering the holy Supper ; and which is common to 
every positive institution of true religion, the absurdity 
and iniquity of departing from it, on account of any sup* 
posed inconvenience. Thus Dr, S, Clarke : " In things 
of external appointment and mere positive institutions, 
where we cannot, as in matters of natural and moral 
duty, argue concerning the natural reason and ground of 
the obligation, and the original necessity of the thing 
itself, we have nothing to do but to obey the positive 
command. God is infinitely better able than we to judge 
of the propriety and usefulness of the things he insti- 
tutes, and it becomes us to obey with humility and 
reverence." Expos. Church Cat., p. 305. 

" The command of Christ," says the judicious Tur- 
rettin, " ought not to be violated under any pretence 
whatever ; and in what way soever the thing signified 
may be received, the sign appointed by Christ is always 
to be retained." Institut. Loc, 19. Quaest., 25, ^ 22. 

The learned Mr. Heidegger observes : " There is in 
the church no more power of changing the rites of the 



34 ESSAYS ON BxVPTISM. 

sacraments appointed by Christ than there is power of 
changing his word or law. For, as his word contains a 
sign audible, so those rites contain a visible sign of his 
divine will." See Dr, De Veil on Acts 8 : 38. 

" All reasoning upon this head," says Bishop Burnet, 
" is an arguing against the institution ; as if Christ and 
his apostles had not well enough considered it, but that 
twelve hundred years after them a consequence should 
be observed that till then had not been thought of, which 
made it reasonable to alter the manner of it. He who 
instituted it knew best what was most fitting and most 
reasonable ; and we must choose rather to acquiesce in 
his commands than in our own reasonings." Expos., 
39 Art., p. 436. 

Buddeus declares : " God had the wisest reasons why 
he would have an apointment administered in this or the 
other manner. It is not lawful, therefore, for men to 
alter anything, or to mutilate the appointment. Thus the 
sacraments are to be used, not according to our own 
pleasure, but in the manner appointed by God." Insti' 
tut. Theol Moral, p. 1, ch. 5, ^ 1 8 ; p. 2, c'h. 2, § 50. Ger^ 
hardus says : " Seeing that a sacrament depends entirely 
on the appointment of God, when we do not what God 
has appointed, it certainly will not be a sacrament." 
Log. Theol., tom. 4, de Sacram., ^ 52. 

6. Nothing must be added to or taken from a posi- 
tive institution. This remark is abundantly confirmed 
by our Pedobaptist brethren. We are repeatedly told 
that no man, nor council of men, has a right to add any* 
thing to the appointed w^orship of God ; for the Lord 
Jesus Christ is very jealous of his honour. Thus the 
great and pious Dr. Owen: "That principle, Ma< the 
church hath power to institute and appoint any thing or 
ceremony belonging to the worship of Godf either as to 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 35 

matter or to manner, beyond the orderly observance of 
such circumstances as necessarily attend such ordi- 
nances as Christ himself has instituted, lies at the bot- 
tom of all the horrible superstition and wars that have 
for so long a season spread themselves over the face of 
the Christian world ; and it is the design of a great part 
of the Revelation (of John) to make a discovery of this 
truth." Commun. with God, P. 2, ch. 6, p. 169. 

Memorable are the words of Arch, Hall : "God will 
bless nothing but his own institutions. The inventions 
of men, in serving God, are as unprofitable as they are 
wicked and presumptuous. Deut. 12: 31, 32. We 
cannot think God will honour the inventions of men, 
however they may be dignified with the spacious names 
of useful, decent, agreeable, ox prudent contrivances ; yet, 
if they are an addition to his system, will he not say, 
who has required these things at your hands ?" View 
of Gospel Church, pp. 33, 82. Another learned Pedo- 
baptist, writing against popery, justly observes : " We 
deny that there are any accidental parts of instituted 
worship ; for, if instituted, (i. e., commanded by Christ,) 
it cannot be accidental, (i. e., left to our liberty, as what 
may or may not be done without sin ;) if accidental, it 
may be a part of something else ; but of the instituted 
worship of Christ it cannot be. Circumstances of wor- 
ship (as such) undetermined by the Lord, to be appoint- 
ed by men, we deny. These circumstances are such 
as, without which the worship is perfect, or it is not. 
If the j^r^^, we need them not ; they are vain, fruitless, 
we having without them a perfect worship. If the 
second, the worship God has commanded, as it comes 
out of his hands, without human additaments, is imper- 
fect ; but this is little less than blasphemy. To assert 
it is lawful to conform to any part of instituted worship 



36 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

without warrant from the Scripture, reflects sadly upon 
the wisdom and faithfulness of Christ. For either he 
was not wise enough to forsee that such a part of wor- 
ship was or would be requisite, or had not faithfulness 
enough to reveal it ; though the Scripture compares him 
to Moses for faithfulness, who revealed the whole will 
of God, to the making of a pin in the Tabernacle.' 
Jeruhhaal, ch. 2, p. 154. Our next remark, arising 
from the preceding observations, is, 

7. That it is highly criminal to neglect or slight a 
positive institution. 

This is strenuously maintained by our Pedobaptist 
brethren. Thus the pious Bishop Taylor : ** The posi- 
tive laws of Jesus Christ cannot be dispensed with by any 
human power : all laws given by Christ are now made 
for ever to be obligatory." Ductor Dub., B. 2, ch. 3, p. 
334. Dr. Waterland, the great champion for truth, 
saith : " Positive duties stand upon moral foot ; to obey 
God in whatsoever he commands is the first moral law, 
and the fundamental principle of all morality. The rea- 
son of things, and the relation we bear to God, require 
that God should be obeyed in matters otherwise indiffer- 
ent ; and such obedience is moral, and the opposite dis- 
obedience immoral : positives, therefore, while under 
precept, cannot be slighted without slighting morals also. 
In short, positive laws, as soon as enacted, become part 
of moral law ; because, as I said, universal obedience 
to God's commands is the first moral law into which all 
laws resolve. Whenever positive duties are so per- 
formed as to become true obedience, they are as valua- 
ble in God's sight as any moral performances whatever, 
because obeying God's voice is all in all. Obedience 
was the thing insisted upon with Adam, with Abraham, 
with Saul, and with many others, in positive instances ; 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 37 

and God laid as great a stress upon obedience there as in 
any moral instance whatever. To conclude, then, moral 
performances without the obedience of the heart are 
nothing; and positive performances without the like 
obedience are nothing ; but the sincere obeying of God's 
voice in both is true religion and true morality,''^ Scrip- 
ture Vindicated, Part 3, pp. 37, 71. 

The just reasoning of Mr. Wadsworth on the Lord's 
Supper applies with equal force to any other positive 
institution. " Some may say," he observes, " sure God 
will not he so much concerned with a failure in so small 
a punctilio as a ceremony, True, it (the Lord's Supper) 
is a ceremony, but it is such a one that beareth the stamp 
of the authority of the Lord Jesus. If he appoints it, 
will you slight it, and say it is hut a ceremony 1 It is 
but a ceremony ; but you are greatly mistaken if you 
think that, therefore, there is no danger to neglect it. 
What was the tree of knowledge of good and evil but a 
ceremony ? Yet for disobedience in eating thereof do 
you not know and feel what wrath it hath brought on the 
whole race of mankind ? And tell me, was circumcision 
any more than a ceremony ? Yet it had almost cost 
Moses his life for neglecting to circumcise his son ; for 
the angel stood ready with his sword to slay him, if he 
had not prevented it by his obedience. Exod. 4 : 24, 
26. So for the Lord's Supper, as much a ceremony as 
it is ; yet, for the abuse of it, some of the church (at Co- 
rinth) were sick and weak, others fell asleep, i. e., died : 
and if God did so severely punish the abuse, how think 
ye to escape, that presumptuously neglect the use there- 
of ? But I am regenerate and become a new creature ; 
I do not fear that God will cast me away for the disuse 
of a ceremony. 

" Is this the reasoning of one regenerate? Surely 
4 



S8 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

thou dost not understand what regeneration meaneth^ 
Is it not the same with being horn of God? And what 
is it to be obedientt o the Father but to do as he com- 
mandeth ? And has he not commanded you, by his Son, 
to remember your Saviour in this Supper 1 When you 
have considered this, then tell me what you think of this 
kind of reasoning. lama child of God ; therefore I will 
presume to disobey him. He bids me remember Jems in 
this Supper, and I will not. Methinks thou blushes at 
the very mentioning of it. And what if he should not 
cast thee quite off for this neglect ? yet thou hast no 
reason to think but that either outwardly or inwardly, 
or both, he will scourge thee for this sin before thou 
diest." Supplem. to Morn. Exerc.y Cripplegate, p. 243, 
I will add but one testimony more. 

Dr. Gerard reasons thus : " A total disregard to the 
positive and external duties of religion, or a very great 
neglect of ihem, is justly reckoned more blameable, and 
a stronger evidence of an unprincipled character, than 
even some transgressions of moral obligation. Even 
particular positive precepts, as soon as they are given 
by God, have something moral in their nature. Suppose 
the rites which are enjoined by them perfectly indiffer- 
ent before they were enjoined ; yet from that moment 
they cease to be indifferent. The divine authority is 
interposed for the observance of them. To neglect them 
is no longer to forbear an indifferent action ; or to do a 
thing in one way rather than another, which has natu- 
rally no greater propriety : it is very different ; it is to 
disobey God ; it is to despise his authority ; it is to 
resist his will. Can any man believe a God, and not 
acknowledge that disobedience to him and contempt of 
his authority is imrnoraly and far from the least heinous 
species of immortality ?" Sermons, vol. 1, p. 312. 



ESSAY I.] POSITIVE LAWS. 39 

8. Nor will a wilful or voluntary ignorance in the least 
diminish the crime of neglecting a positive institution. 
" The criminal cause," says the eloquent and profound 
Dr, Grosvenor, " of not seeing the evidence of such 
appointments are, in this case, as in many other cases, 
non-inquiry, laziness, prejudice, lust, pride, and passion. 
That an ignorance owing to these causes cannot be 
pleaded for a neglect of any of God's appointments, is 
so much the general sense of all casuists, that I shall 
only add here that it is at every maii^s peril how he comes 
not to know the will of God, as well as not to do it. We 
must look to it how we came not to see the appointment, 
and must answer that to God and our own conscience. 
It is not enough to say, Lord, I did not know it was 
appointed ; when the answer may justly be, You never 
inquired into the mutter ; you never allowed yourself to 
think of it ; or, if you did, you resolved in your mind that 
you would not he convinced. You made the most of every 
cavil, hut never minded the solution to any of your ohjec^ 
iions.^^ Moral ohligation to the positive appointments in 
religion, 

9. Dear reader, I have now, in as brief a manner as 
possible, and rather in the very words of our Pedobap- 
tist brethren than in any other way, stated the difference 
between the nature of a positive and a moral law ; and 
shown that the authority of the lawgiver is the sole 
ground, and the words of the institution the only rule, 
of our obedience ; and that thence it follows that the 
rule or words of the institution must be plain, clear, and 
explicit. I have interspersed a few remarks, and shall 
now sum up the whole in the few propositions of that 
dispassionate and powerful reasoner, Bishop Hoadly, a 
zealous Pedobaptist. 

I. " The partaking of the Lord^s Supper " (and which 



40 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

is equally applicable to the ordinance of baptism) " is 
not a duty of itself, nor a duty apparent to us from the 
nature of things ; but a duty made such to Christians by 
the positive institution of Jesus Christ. 

IL " All positive duties, or duties made such by in- 
stitution alone, depend entirely on the will and declara- 
tion of the person who institutes or ordains them, with 
respect to the real design and end of them, and, conse- 
quently, to the due manner of performing them. For, 
there being no other foundation for them with regard to 
us but the will of the institutor, this will must, of neces- 
sity, be our sole direction, both as to our understanding 
their true intent, and practising them accordingly ; be- 
cause we can have no other direction in this sort of duties, 
unless we will have recourse to mere invention, which 
makes them our own institutions, and not the institutions 
of those who first appointed them. 

III. " It is plain, therefore, that the nature, the design, 
and the due manner of the Lord's Supper must, of neces- 
sity, depend upon what Jesus Christ, who instituted it, 
hath declared about it. 

IV. " It cannot be doubted that he himself sufficient- 
ly declared to his first and immediate followers the 
whole of what he designed should be understood by it 
or implied in it. For, this being a positive institution, 
depending entirely upon his will, and not designed to 
contain anything in it but what he himself should please 
to afl[ix to it, it must follow that he declared his mind 
about it fully and plainly ; because, otherwise, he must 
be supposed to institute a duty of which no one could 
have any notion without his institution ; and at the same 
time not to instruct his followers sufficiently what that 
duty was to be. 

V. " It is of small importance, therefore, to Christians 



ESSAY I.] POSITIYE LAWS. 41 

to know what the many writers upon this subject, since 
the time of the evangelists and apostles, have affirm- 
ed ; much less can it be the duty of Christians to be 
guided by what any persons, by their own authority or 
from their own imaginations, may teach concerning this 
duty. The reason is plain ; because, in the matter of 
an instituted duty, (or a duty made so by the positive will 
of any person,) no one can be a judge but the institutor 
himself of what he designed should be contained in it ; 
and because, supposing him not to have spoken his mind 
plainly about it, it is impossible that any other person 
(to whom the institutor himself never revealed his de- 
sign) should make up that defect. All that is added, 
therefore, to Christ's institution as a necessary part of 
it, ought to be esteemed only as the invention of those 
who add to it : and the more there is added, (let it be 
done with never so much solemnity and never so great 
pretences to authority,) the less there is remaining of 
the simplicity of the institution as Christ himself left it. 

YL *' The passages in the New Testament which 
relate to this duty, and they alone, are the original ac- 
counts of the nature and end of this institution ; and the 
oiily authentic declarations upon which we of later ages 
can safely depend." Works, vol. 3, p. 845, &c. 

10. I have now finished the first Essay on Baptism. 
The reader will probably say, and what has it to do with 
baptism ? The subject is scarcely mentioned in it. 
True ; neither may the building be seen as yet, although 
the foundation may have been laid with much care, la- 
bour, and expense. Still it is the foundation which sup- 
ports the whole structure. The principles contained in 
this Essay are the foundation of the following Essays. 
And as these principles are recognised by the most 
eminent Protestant authors as legitimate, and used by 

4* 



42 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

them as the most successful weapons in exploding the 
superstitions of popery, they will be revered by their 
successors. I shall, therefore, frequently refer to the 
observations and remarks of this Essay, and the reader 
is affectionately desired to keep them in mind ; and may 
the Great Head of the church write them upon our hearts, 
and make them the rule in all our religious exercises, 
until we shall worship him in the heavenly Jerusalem 
in the beauty of holiness. 



ESSAY II. 

Believers the only Subjects of Baptism. 

Dear reader : The object of this second Essay is 
to show that infants are not proper subjects of baptism. 

This, I believe, will appear evident from the follow- 
ing considerations : Every religious observance, not 
sanctioned by divine precept or Scripture example, is 
unlawful, and displeasing to God. Sacred Scripture 
affords neither precept nor example for infant baptism ; 
therefore infant baptism is unlawful, and displeasing 
to God. 

1. With respect to the first proposition, viz., that 
every religious observance, not sanctioned by divine pre- 
cept or Scripture example, is unlawful, and displeasing 
to God, few of my readers, except Roman Catholics, I 
suppose, will have any objection. That the sacred 
Scriptures are the only rule of doctrine and worship, 
was the grand principle of the reformation : and Pro- 
testants of all denominations have, in theory, adopted 
the just and excellent maxim, " The bible only is the 



ESSAY II.] BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 43 

religion of Protestants J^ In addition to what has already 
been stated in the preceding Essay, p, 35, I will quote 
from a few more of our learned and pious Pedobaptist 
divines. Dr, Owen has assured us " That divine 
revelation is the only foundation, the only rule, and the 
only law of all religious worship that is pleasing to God 
or accepted by him :" and that, " when once a person 
maintains it allowable to pass over the limits of the 
divine command, there is nothing to hinder him from 
running the most extravagant length." Theol, L. 4, Dig. 
3,^8. L. 5, ch. 15, ^2. Exp. Heb., vol. 2, pp. 68, 133. 

Bishop Hopkm says : "We ought not to worship God 
with any other external worship than what himself has 
commanded and appointed us in His Holy Word. The 
Scripture has set us our bounds for worship, to which 
we must not add, and from which we ought not to di- 
minish ; for whosoever does either the one or the other, 
must needs accuse the rule, either in defect of things 
necessary or of superfluity in things unnecessary; which 
is a high affront to the wisdom of God, who, as He is 
the object, so is He the prescriber of all that worship 
which he will accept and reward." Works, p, 1 07. 

Another learned Pedobaptist informs us " That no^ 
thing is lawful in the worship of God but what we have 
precept or precedent for; which whoso denies, opens a 
door for all idolatry and superstition and will-worship 
in the world." Mr. Collins, in Jeruhhaal, p. 487. 

Again we are told, that " Will-worship was always 
condemned of God ; and that it is profane to present to 
God what he does not require, or to perform worship 
which he did not appoint." Christ, Schotanus, apud 
Lomeierum, de vet. Gent. Lust., Cap. 14. 

Mr, Marshall expresses his " astonishment, that ever 
mortal man should dare, in God's worship, to meddle 



44 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

any farther than the Lord himself has commanded." In 
Jeruhhaal, p. 484. 

The words of the eminently pious Mr, Baxter shall 
close this particular. " What man," says he, " dare go 
in a way which has neither precept nor example to war- 
rant it, from a way that has a full current of both 1 
who knows what will please God but himself ? and has 
he not told us what he expects from us ? Can that be 
obedience which has no command for it ? Is not this to 
super erogate, and to be righteous overmuch ? Is not 
this also to accuse God's ordinances of insufficiency, 
as well as his word ; as if they were not sufficient to 
please him or help our own graces ? Oh, the pride of 
man's heart, that, instead of being a law-obeyer, will be 
a law-maker ! For my part, I will fear that God will be 
angry with me for doing no more than He has command- 
ed me, and for sticking close to the rule of His word 
in matter of worship ; but I should tremble to add or 
diminish.''^ Plain Scrip, Proof , pp. 24, 303. 

Thus you perceive, dear reader, from these testimo- 
nies — and many more might have been quoted, all from 
eminently learned and pious Pedobaptists — that every 
religious practice, without divine precept or Scripture 
example, is unlawful, and displeasing to God. 

I proceed to show next, 

2. That sacred Scripture contains neither precept 
for, nor example of, infant baptism. 

Our authority for baptizing is the command of our 
blessed Lord an^ Saviour in his commission to his 
apostles, which the evangelist, Matt. 28 : 19, 20, thus 
recorded : " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, 
baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to observe 
all things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and lo ! 



ESSAV II. J BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 45 

I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."* 
The Evangelist Mark, being much shorter in all his 
narrations, has thus related it, ch. 16 : 15, 16 : " Go ye 
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture : he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; 
but he that believeth not, shall be damned." 

Hence it is very evident that all those to be baptized 
must j^r^^ be instructed, believe, and become disciples ; 
and to baptize any other into the name of God would be 
unwarrantable presumption ; and we might expect a re- 
proof similar to that which God gave to the children of 
Israel, saying, " When ye come to appear before me, 
who has required this at your hand, to tread my courts ? 
bring no more vain oblations ; incense is an abomina- 
tion unto me." Isa. 1 : 12, 13. I have frequently been 
told that the words in the commission, " teach all nations, 
baptizing them," should be read " disciple all nations hy 
baptizing them :" this is putting the cart before the horse. 
Those that are to be baptized must be already disciples, 
and such disciples as are made such by teaching and 
believing. Hence the Evangelist Mark has the follow- 
ing order: First commission — preaching, believing, bap- 
tism, and salvation. This order is acknowledged by 
many Pedobaptists. Calvin says : " Because Christ 
requires teaching before baptizing, and will have be- 

* I use the word into instead of the word zn, as in the English 
version, both because it is a better translation of the Greek word 
eis^ and better suits the meaning of the baptismal formula, which 
signifies the adoption of the baptized believer into the family of God, 
by the appropriation of the holy name of the Head to the members. 
J)r. Dwight and other learned men have done the same. 

Disciples are said to be baptized into Jesus Christ, and into the 
name of Jesus Christ, to signify their recognition as disciples. In 
Rom. 6 : 3, the word eis is translated into. " Know ye not that so 
many of us as were baptized zw^a Jesus Christ were baptized, &c." 



45 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

lievers only admitted to baptism, baptism does not seem 
rightly administered except faith precede." Hinton,ip. 88. 
Memorable are the words of Mr, Battter^ that very 
eminently pious and learned divine : " As for those that 
say they are discipled by baptizing, and not before bap- 
tizing, they speak not the sense of the text ; not that 
which is true and rational, else w^hy should one be bap- 
tized more than another ? This is not like some occa- 
sional historical mention of baptism, but it is the very 
commission of Christ to his apostles for preaching and 
baptizing, and purposely expresses their several works 
in their several places and order. Their first task is, 
by teaching, to make disciples, which are by Mark call- 
ed believers. The second work is, to baptize them, 
whereto is annexed the promise of their salvation. The 
third work is, to teach them all other things which are 
afterward to be learned in the school of Christ. To con- 
temn this order is to renounce all rules of order ; for 
where can we expect to find it, if not here ? I profess 
my conscience is fully satisfied from this text that it is 
one kind of faith, even savings that must go before hap^ 
tism ; and the profession whereof the minister must ex- 
pect." Disput, of right to Sac, p. 91, 149, 150. 

Neither does the New Testament furnish us with the 
example of any others but believers. Among the vast 
multitude that came to John, he would baptize none but 
those that brought forth fruits meet for repentance. That 
the apostles and other ministers to whom the commis- 
sion was originally given understood it to refer to belie- 
vers, and believers only, is plain from their practice 
under it. The first instance is that remarkable one 
which occurred at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. 
Peter was the preacher, and Christ crucified the subject' ; 
and the Holy Ghost making application, a vast number 



1 



ESSAY II-l BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS, 47 

were convinced of sin, and inquired what they should do. 
The preacher directed that, as proof of their inward 
change, they should repent (i. e., reform) and submit to 
Christian baptism ; encouraging them also to expect, 
in the way of obedience, the Holy Spirit as a comforter. 
" Then they that gladly received his Word were bap- 
tized." Acts 2: 41. 

The next instance occurred at Samaria, under the 
ministry of Philip. "When they believed Philip preach- 
ing the things concerning the kingdom of God and the 
name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and 
womenP Acts 8:12. In the case of the Eunuch we see 
that faith in Christ was expressly required. Acts 8 : 36— 
38. That the Apostle Paul believed before he was bap- 
tized, certainly admits of no doubt. Acts 9: 18. That Cor- 
nelius and those with him whom Peter commanded to be 
baptized, were believers in Christ, no one, I believe, has 
ever called in question. Acts 10 : 44-48. That Lydia 
and those of her household that were baptized with her, 
were believers in Christ, appears in that they are 
called brethren, and are said to have been comforted by 
the apostles. Acts 16; 14, 34. The same appears, and 
more clearly, respecting the household of the jailer ; 
to them as to him the apostles " spake the word of the 
Lord," and they as well as he believed, and so were the 
proper subjects of baptism ; for " he rejoiced believing 
in God with all his house," — not for them. Acts 16 : 34. 
Such, too, was the character of those at Corinth : they 
possessed the same faith which the master of the house 
and others there baptized possessed. " Crispus, the 
chief ruler of the Synagogue, believed on the Lord with 
(not for) all his house ; and many of the Corinthians, 
hearing, believed and were baptized." Acts 18 : 8. 
No mention is made of any infants or children being 



48 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

brought to him, or baptized by him. Nor do we hear of 
a child being baptized by the disciples of Christ, though 
they baptized more people than John : and among the 
three thousand baptized on the day of Pentecost, we find 
none but those that were "pricked in the heart, and said, 
men and brethren, what shall we do ?" " Peter said unto 
them, repent, and be baptized." Surely this is not the 
exercise of infants or children. Nor is there a single 
instance of the baptism of an infant in all the accounts 
of the baptisms administered by the apostles. One such 
example of the inspired apostles would be regarded as 
much as the command of our Lord and Saviour ; but in 
vain do we search the New Testament for it. They 
invariably required faith in Christ before they adminis- 
tered this sacred ordinance. Those baptized on the day 
of Pentecost (as we have just mentioned) were such as 
were convinced of sin, and "gladly received the Word." 
Acts 2: 41. The Samaritans were men and women 
vj^ho believed. Acts 8: 12. The Eunuch professed his 
faith, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 8 : 
36--38. Saul was baptized by Ananias, not only as an 
adult, but by the express command of Christ, who 
assured him that Saul was a chosen vessel and a 
praying soul. Acts 9 : 11, 15. The Samaritans were 
men and women who believed. Acts 8: 12. " Were there 
no children in Samaria ? were there no infants in the 
families of the converted ? Those who can trace out 
such probabilities, of there being children in the house- 
hold of an unmarried lady, travelling extensively on 
account of her business ; can they find no probability 
that there were children in the families of these men 
and women who were baptized in Samaria ? Oh, no ! 
Surmise and conjecture all silent here, however reason- 
ably they might be indulged. These families must be 



ESSAY II.] BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 49 

rendered childless by the stroke of a blind crilicism, 
since, if admitted to exist, the admission not only affords 
no presumption even in favour of infant baptism, but 
proves that children were not baptized. Why this 
clause, ' both men and women,' but from the foresight 
and benevolence of the Spirit of truth to make ' assurance 
doubly sure ' as to the proper subjects of baptism, and 
cut off all excuse for a practice which is virtually an 
interpolation of a human alteration in those writings 
which claim to afford a solid basis of our eternal hopes 
because they are wholly divine." Hinton, p. 94. 

Dear reader, I most affectionately entreat you seri- 
ously and candidly to examine the account of every 
baptism mentioned in the New Testament ; and I am 
confident you will clearly perceive that the subjects are 
characterized as adults and believers. They are either 
called disciples, or such as have believed, or had received 
the Holy Ghost, or spake with tongues and prophesied, 
or were men and women, &;c., &;c. Yea, many of our 
most eminent Pedobaptist brethren have confessed that 
neither precept nor example of infant baptism is to be 
found in the New Testament. Let us hear a few of them. 

Mr. Cawdrey : " The Scriptures are not clear, that in- 
fant baptism was an apostolical practice. We have not 
in Scripture either precept or example of children bap- 
tized." Mr, Tombes^ Antipaedo Baptism^ Part 2, p. 84. 

Stapferus : " There is not any express command in 
the Holy Scriptures concerning the baptism of infants." 
Theolog. Polem., cap. 8, ^ 1647. 

Dr, Wall : *' Among all the persons that are recorded 
as baptized by the apostles, there is no express mention 
of any infant ; there is no express mention, indeed, of 
any children baptized by him, i. e., John the Baptist.'i, 
Hist. Inf. Bap., Introduction, pp. 1, d5. 



50 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Mr. T, Boston : " There is no example of baptism 
recorded in the Scriptures where any were baptized but 
such as appeared to have a saving interest in Christ." 
Works, 384. 

Luther : *' It cannot be proved by the sacred Scrip- ' 
tures that infant baptism was instituted by Christ, or 
begun by the first Christians after the apostles." Inst. 
R's. Vanity of Inf. Bap., Part 2, p. 8. 

Fuller, an Episcopalian minister: "We do freely 
confess that there is neither express precept nor pre- 
cedent in the New Testament for the baptizing of 
infants." Inf. Bap. Advocated, p. 71. 

Cellarius : " Infant baptism is neither commanded in 
the sacred Scripture, nor is it confirmed by apostolic 
examples." Apud Schyn. Hist. Mennonit.,^. 168. 

Samuel Palmer : " There is nothing in the words of 
the institution, nor in any after accounts of the adminis- 
tration of this rite, respecting the baptism of infants : 
there is not a single precept for, nor example of, this 
practice through the whole of the New Testament." 
Answer to Dr. Priestley's Address on the Lord's Sup. , p. 7. 

Limhorch : " There is no instance that can be pro- 
duced whence it may indisputably be inferred that any 
child was baptized by the apostles. The necessity 
of infant baptism was never asserted by any council 
before that of Carthage, held in the year 418." Comp, 
Syst. Div., B. 6, ch, 22, § 2. 

Dr. Towerson : " That which seems to stick much 
with the adversaries of infant baptism, and is accord- 
ingly urged at all times against the friends or asserters 
of it, is, the want of an express command or direction 
for the administering of baptism to them. Which objec- 
tion seems to be the more reasonable, because baptism, 
as well as other sacraments, receiving all its force from 



ESSAY II.] BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 51 

institution they may seem to have no right to, or benefit 
by it, who appear not by the institution of that sacra- 
ment to be entitled to it ; but rather, by the qualifications 
it requires, to be excluded from it." Of the Sacram, of 
Bap., Part 2, pp. 349, 350. 

Mr. Baxter : " If there can be no example given in 
Scripture of any one that was baptized without the pro- 
fession of a saving faith, nor any precept given for so 
doing, then must we not baptize any without it. But 
the antecedent is true ; therefore so is the consequent. 
In a word, I know of no one word in Scripture that gives 
us the least intimation that ever man was baptized with- 
out the profession of a saving faith, or that gives the least 
encouragement to baptize any upon another'^s faithP 
Disp. of Right to Sacr., pp. 149, 151. I will close with 
the words of the great Mr. Carson : " It is impossible 
to get proof for infant baptism from the bible ; and, though 
ingenious men may devise conceits that may satisfy 
prejudice, the Christian will never get solid ground on 
which to rest the sole of his foot till he returns to the 
ordinance of Christ. I stand on this commission, and 
exclude all but those included in it. This man comes 
forth with the Abrahamic covenant in his hand as a 
passport for his children. I reply, the Abrahamic cove- 
nant does not make newly-born infants believers. An- 
other speaks of Jewish proselyte baptism. My answer 
is, Jewish proselyte baptism is not the rule of this ordi- 
nance : believers only are rejoined to be baptized. A 
third speaks of the holiness of the infants of believers. 
I reply, it is the holiness of faith only that entitles to 
baptism. A fourth speaks of the households. Such 
phraseology is consistent with the commission, but the 
commission is not considered with the meaning ascribed 
to the phraseology. Return, then, Christians : return to 



52 _ ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the institution of Christ! Too, too long have we all 
in this followed the traditions of men, and made void 
the law of Christ. To some it may appear a trifling 
thing, and to be little harm, although it has no founda- 
tion in Scripture. It does not appear to me in this light. 
To cut the hair as a religious ordinance would lay the 
foundation of Babylon." 

Seeing, then, from Scripture, and from the testimony 
of so many Pedobaptists, that there is neither precept 
for, nor example of, infant baptism to be found in the 
New Testament, let me ask, dear reader, whether it 
be not strange, yea, absolutely unaccountable, that, if 
our Lord intended infants should be baptized, and if 
they were actually baptized by the apostles, it should 
not be so much as once recorded. And the entire 
silence of the inspired writers on this head is the more 
surprising, because they were far from being backward, 
expressly to mention children on other occasions of 
much less importance to the purity of Christian worship, 
the conduct of believing parents, and the edification of 
our Lord's disciples. See Matt, 2 : 16 ; 14 : 21 ; 15 : 
38; 19: 13. Mark 10: 13. ^Luke 18: 15. Acts 1 : 
19; 21: 5. 

3. It having thus been proved that every religious 
practice, unsanctioned by divine precept or Scripture 
example, is unlawful, and displeasing to God ; and that 
the sacred Scriptures contain neither precept nor exam- 
ple for infant baptism, the candid reader will not be 
surprised that I came to the conclusion that infant bap- 
tism is without a warrant from Scripture, and cannot but 
be displeasing to God. 

Although the absence of Scripture authority is argu- 
ment entire and satisfactory against the practice of in- 
fant baptism, I think it proper to take some notice of the 



ESSAY II.] BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 53 

history of baptism in the early ages of the Christian 
dispensation ; since certain erroneous statements have 
been made by some modern writers respecting the prac- 
tice of those times. The reader's attention is, there- 
fore, invited to the following facts : 

First. History records numerous instances of per- 
sons, children of pious parents, who were baptized when 
adults, which would certainly not have been the Case 
had infant baptism been in use. Mr. Lawson informs 
us " That Augustine, the son of the virtuous Monica, 
being instructed in the faith, was not baptized till about 
the thirtieth year of his age. Ambrose, born of Christian 
parents, was instructed in Christian principles, but re- 
mained unbaptized till he was chosen Bishop of Milan. 
Jerome, born of Christian parents, was baptized when 
about thirty years old. Nectarius was made Bishop of 
Constantinople before he was baptized." Mr. Lawson 
proceeds to remark : " It seems the doctrine of Fidus 
concerning dipping or sprinkling children, was new, and 
seemed strange to Cyprian ; seeing he could not ratify 
nor confirm the same without the sentence and advice 
of sixty-six bishops. Had it been commanded by Christ, 
practised by the apostles, and continued in matter and 
manner to Cyprian's days, there had not been a neces- 
sity for the concourse of so many bishops concerning 
the same." Baptismalogia, pp. 75, 87. 

Bishop Taylor says : " St. Ambrose, St. Hierom, and 
St. Austin were born of Christian parents, and yet not 
baptized until the full age of a man and more." In 
Dr. WalVs Hist. Inf. Bap., p. 2, eh. 2, ^ 10. 

The famous Austin, in his confessions, having said, 
" I was then signed with the sign of his (Christ's) cross 
and was seasoned with his salt so soon as I came out 
of my mother's womb, who greatly trusted in thee," his 

5^ 



54 ESSA.YS ON BAPTISM. 

translator, Dr. W. Wats^ has the following note upon 
it : " This was the practice of the primitive times, by 
which religious parents devoted their children unto 
Christ long before their baptism, which in those days 
was deferred till they were able to answer for themselves P 
Austin's Confes., B. 1, ch. 11, p. 17. 

" Gregory Nazianzen, born in the year three hundred 
and eighteen, whose parents were Christians, and his 
father a bishop, was not baptized till near twenty-one 
years of age." Du Pin, Cent. 4, p. 159. 

" Chrysostom, also born of Christian parents in the 
year three hundred and forty-seven, was not baptized 
till near twenty-one years of age." Grotius apud Poli 
Synop. ad Matt. 19 : 14. 

Secondly, Not a few of the most eminent Pedobap- 
tists have acknowledged it. Let the following suffice : 
Danverse : " Infant baptism was not practised until the 
third century, nor enjoined as necessary till 400 years 
after Christ." On Bap., p. 105. Mr. Chambers: " It 
appears that in the primitive times none were baptized 
but ADULTS." Cyclopcedia, Article Baptism. V enema : 
" It is, indeed, certain that Pedobaptism was practised 
in the second century ; yet so that it was not the cus- 
tom of the church, nor the general practice ; much less 
was it generally esteemed necessary that infants should 
be baptized." Hist. Eccles., tom. 3, secul. 2, ^ 108. 
Dr. Holland: "In the first plantation of Christianity 
among the Gentiles, such only as were of full age, after 
they were instructed in the principles of the Christian 
religion, were admitted to baptism." In Dr. WalVs 
Hist. Inf. Bap., Part 2, ch. 2, p. 281. M. De la Roque : 
" The primitive church did not baptize infants ; and the 
learned Grotius proves it in his Annotations on the Gos- 
pel." In Mr. Stennett's Answer to Mr. Russen, p. 188. 



ESSAY ll.j BELIEVERS THE ONLY SUBJECTS. 55 

Curcellaeus: " The baptism of infants, in the first two 
centuries after Christ, was altogether unknown." Inst. 
Relig. Christy Lib. 1, ch. 12, Diss. Secund. de Pecc. 
Orig., § 56. 

Thirdly, One observation more shall close this part 
of the subject. Our Pedobaptist brethren farther inform 
us that none but believers have a right to the ordinance 
of baptism, or can derive any benefit from it : now, as 
infants cannot believe, it follows that they have neither 
a title to baptism, nor can derive any benefit from it. 

The celebrated Cocceius informs us " That sacra- 
ments, properly speaking, were instituted for believers, 
and given to them ; Rom. 4:11; that is, for those who 
hunger and thirst after righteousness." Sum, Doct, De 
Foed, ch. 6, § 209. Limborch: " The subject of baptism, 
to whom it is to be administered, is a believer ; one 
who is endued with a true faith in Jesus Christ, and 
touched with a serious repentance for his past ofi^ences." 
Syst. Bio., B. 5, ch. 22, ^ 2. Meierus : "None have 
a title to baptism but such as profess faith and the true 
religion." Bib, Brem., class. 4, p. 169. Turretin : 
" Faith, devotion, and an internal exercise of the mind 
are required to the efficacy of a sacrament ; because 
the Scripture expressly asserts it ; Mark 16 : 16 ; 1 Cor. 
11 : 27 ; Acts 2 : 37, 38 ; because without faith it is im- 
possible to please God; Heb. 11: 6; and because the 
promise, as contained in the sacraments, and faith are 
correlates. Insti. Loc. 19, Q. 8, § 12. Calvin: "From 
the sacrament of baptism, as from all others, we obtain 
nothing, except so far as we receive it in faith." Inst, 
L. 4, ch. 15, § 15. Jonathan Edwards : "There are 
some duties of worship that imply a profession of God's 
covenant, whose very nature and design is an exhibition 
of those vital, active principles and inward exercises 



56 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

wherein the condition of the covenant of grace consists. 
Such are the Christian sacraments, whose very design 
is to make and confirm a profession of, and compliance 
with, that covenant, and whose very nature is to exhibit 
or express those uniting acts of the soul." Hoornhee- 
kius : " Without faith, water baptism cannot by any 
means be lawful ; for the command is, believe first, then 
also, and not otherwise, he baptized. Mark 16: 16 ; he 
that believeth and is baptized^ d^c. Then they that gladly 
received his Word were baptized. Acts 2 : 41. If thou 
believest with all thy heart, thou may est be baptized. Acts 
8: 37. Acts 16 : 31, 33." Socin. confut., torn. 3, p. 
389. Dr. Watts : " Faith and repentance were the 
great things required of those that were admitted to bap- 
tism. This was the practice of John, this the practice 
of the apostles, in the history of their ministry. Matt. 
3. Acts 2: 38; 19: 4; 8: 37." Berry St. Serm., 
vol. 2, pp. 177, 178. 

In closing this Essay, I cannot but express my hope 
that the candid and conscientious reader will see the 
impropriety of admitting infants to the sacred ordinance 
of baptism ; seeing that the law of a positive institution 
is the only rule of our obedience, Pedobaptists, eminent 
for learning and piety, being judges ; (E. I., p. 28 ;) and 
that in the institution of baptism the subjects are cha- 
racterized as having been first taught, and, consequently, 
become, disciples and believers in Christ, which is not 
applicable to infants or children. They farther declare 
that every part of religious worship requires a divine 
precept or Scripture example, but that the New Testa- 
ment affords neither precept nor example for infant bap- 
tism ; it follows, therefore, that infants have no right to 
this sacred ordinance. 

I am perfectly aware that our brethren endeavour to 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 57 

prove the right of infant baptism by Scripture inferences, 
by analogy of dispensations, &c. ; but how is this con- 
sistent with their declarations already cited, (E.I., pp. 
28, 29,) that in positive institutions we have nothing to do 
with reasonings inferences ^ analogy, <^c., but that the 
revealed will of the Legislator is the sole authority, and 
the words of the law the only rule of our obedience ? 
This subject reminds me of the fact, that Hebrew gram- 
marians give rules for the pronunciation of words in one 
chapter, while in the very next their rules are contradict- 
ed and violated by their own pronunciation. Besides, 
I have diligently examinoft the arguments in favour of 
infant baptism, and may show in the next Essay that, 
when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, they are 
found wanting. 



ESSAY III. 

Arguments in favour of Infant Baptism stated and 
refuted. 

We are told by our Pedobaptist brethren that their 
practice of infant baptism is sanctioned by express 
Scriptures, by the example of the apostles, by our Lord^s 
conduct toward children, by analogy, and by apostolic 
tradition. 

First. Express declarations of Scripture are appealed 
to for sanction. 

1. Our Lord's commission to baptize all nations. 
Matt. 28 ; 19. "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, 
baptize them,^^ &c. 

Here our Pedobaptist brethren reason thus : " All 
nations are to be baptized ; but children are apart of all 



58 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

nations ; therefore children have a right to baptism." 
This might be good logic, if our Lord had said no more 
than " baptize all nations ;" but he has characterized 
those in all nations who should be baptized ; namely, 
disciples and believers. Those, therefore, who are not 
capable of learning and believing, are excluded ; and 
such are infants. (See Essay IL, p. 45.) Besides, it 
is acknowledged by many learned Pedobaptists that 
those to be baptized, agreeably to our Lord's commis- 
sion, must first be taught or discipled ; i. e., be instructed 
in the first principles of the Christian religion. I shall 
select only a few of their declarations. 

Maccovius : *' We assert that our Lord enjoins two 
different things upon his disciples — to teach and to hap- 
tize.^^ Loci Com,^ p. 823. 

Saurin : " In the primitive church instruction pre- 
ceded baptism, agreeably to the order of Jesus Christ : 
Go teach all nations, baptizing them." Ser.^ torn. 1, p. 
301. Le Haye, Edit, 3, 

Mr. Samuel Palmer : '* There is nothing in the words 
of the institution respecting the baptism of infants." Ans- 
wer to Dr. Priestley's Address on the Lord^s Supper, p. 7. 

Gpmarus: " In Matt. 28 : 19, our Lord speaks not 
concerning infants, but adults, who are capable of in- 
struction." Opera. Theolog.^ p. 148. 

Limhorch : *' They could not make disciples, unless 
by teaching. By that instruction were disciples brought 
to the faith before they were baptized." Mark, 16 : 15, 
16. Inst., L. 5, ch. 67, § 7. 

Calvin : ** Because Christ requires teaching before 
baptizing, and will have believers only admitted to bap- 
tism, baptism does not seem to be rightly administered, 
except faith precede. '' In Harm. Evang. Comment* ad 
loc. 



ESSAY III.J ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 59 

Dr. Barrow : " What the action itself enjoined is, and 
what the manner and form thereof, is apparent by the 
words of our Lord's institution : going forth^ saith he, 
teach or disciple all nations, baptizing them. The ac- 
tion is baptizing or immersing in water ; the object 
thereof, those persons of any nation whom his ministers 
can, by their instruction or persuasion, render disciples ; 
that is, such as do sincerely believe the truth of his doc- 
trine, and seriously resolve to obey his commandments." 
Works, vol. 1, p. 518. 

That men are made disciples of Christ by teaching, 
and not by baptizing, (as Mr. Henry would have us be- 
lieve : Treatise on Baptism, p. 1 14,) is acknowledged by 
numerous Pedobaptists. 

Br. Owen : " By the disciples of Christ I intend them, 
and them only, who profess faith in his person and doc- 
trine, and to hear him, or to be guided by him alone in 
all things that appertain unto the worship of God and 
their living unto him." Inquiry into the Orig. Nature 
of Churches, p. 120. 

Mr, Wilson : *' A disciple is a learner, a scholar, who 
submitteth himself to another to be taught any learning. 
Acts 20 : 30. Matt. 11: 2. One wholearneth the doc- 
trine of Christ, that he may believe and practise it." Acts 
11 : 16. Luke 14: 16. Christ, Diet., Article Disciple. 

Mr. Baxter : " Objection — Any one is a disciple that 
is willing to learn of Christ. Answer. No such matter. 
In an improper sense you may so call them, but not in 
Scripture sense, where a disciple and a Christian are all 
one. Acts 1 1 : 26. But not every one that is willing to 
learn of Christ is a Christian ; therefore not a disciple. 
A disciple of Christ is one that will take him for the 
great prophet of the church, and will learn of him as of 
the Christ. None are disciples but upon the account of 



60 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

either saving faith or the profession of it." Disput. of 
Right to Sac, pp. 95, 183. 

" Were there occasion for it," says the venerable Mr. 
Booth, " quotations of this kind might be greatly multi- 
plied : but I forbear, and shall only observe that I do 
not recollect a single author who, upon any occasion, 
explains the term disciple in such a manner as to exclude 
the idea of being taught, except with a view to Pedo- 
baptism. Now, must not that be a bad cause which im- 
pels wise and learned men to seek a refuge for it in 
such an acceptation of a capital term of divine law as 
has no parallel either in Scripture or in common authors ; 
and for which nothing can be pleaded but by mere hy- 
pothesis ?" Pedobap, Exam. II., p. 288, 

Is it not astonishing that men, eminent for piety and 
learning, should be so blinded as to reason as follows ? 

Dr. Worcester, arguing in favour of infant baptism, 
says : '* In his commission to his apostles his direction 
was, that all nations should be baptized, and children 
constitute a part of every nation." Letters, p. 115. 

Mr. Henry : " If it be the will and command of the 
Lord Jesus that all nations should be discipled by bap- 
tism, and children, though a part of all nations, are not 
excepted, then children are to be discipled by baptism." 
Treatise on Bapt., p. 114. 

Dr. John Edwards : " This general commission takes 
in all particulars. Go baptize all nations is as much 
and as full as if Christ had said, Go baptize all men, wo- 
men, and children." Theol. Refer., vol. 1., p. 568. 

Calorius argues thus : "He who commands all men 
to be baptized, so that none are exempted, of any age, 
or sex, or condition, would have infants baptized no less 
than adults therefore." Socin. Profi, Disp., 24. Contr. 
8, p. 878. Wittenberg, 1652. 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 61 

The reader will agree that, if this mode of reasoning 
proves anything, it proves a great deal more than these 
authors would be willing to practise. If all that belong 
to a nation are to be made disciples by baptism, " with- 
out exception of age^ or sex, or condition^^ by what au- 
thority can they refuse baptism to the unbelieving Jew, 
the deluded Mahomedan, the idolatrous heathen, or any 
other infidel ? Nor ought they to wait till the ordinance 
is requested ; but, as zealous and faithful ministers of 
Christ, they ought to baptize every one they meet with, 
without asking any question ; for their commission is^ 
*' Go ye, therefore, and disciple all nations f i. e., bap- 
tising them, without exception of age^ or sex, or condi- 
tion. Farther, to harmonize the account of our Lord's 
commission given by Mark with that by Matthew, they 
must paraphrase it thus : " Go ye into all the world, 
and preach the gospel to every creature ; he that be- 
lieyeth and is baptized," that is, he that, hy baptism, is 
put into the way of becoming a believer, without excep- 
tion of age, sex, or condition, and without regard to 
the future, whether he will really believe or not, " shall 
be saved ; but he that believes not," that is, he that 
is not put into the way of becoming a believer, not being 
baptized, " shall be damned." Whether this reasoning 
does not make baptism the only condition of salvation, 
the reader is able to judge. 

2. The promise to children mentioned Acts 2 : 38, 
39, is produced as authority for infant baptism. When, 
on the day of Pentecost, those that were " pricked in 
their heart " asked what they must do, Peter answered, 
"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, into the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye 
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the pro- 
mise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are 

6 



62 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call/^ 
In support of infant baptism, a part of Peter's answer 
is generally quoted, but not the whole, viz., " the pro- 
mise is unto you and to your children ;" and, instead 
of explaining the nature of the promise, as the apostle 
did, by referring to the prediction in Joel, it is generally 
referred to the promise made to Abraham and his seed. 
But a little consideration of the connexion of this pas- 
sage will lead to the discovery that it has nothing to do 
with infant baptism. 

On the day of Pentecost,* i. e., the fiftieth day from 
the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Ghost descended 
from heaven. The disciples '* were all filled with the 
Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as 
the Spirit gave them utterance.*' This remarkable and 
unparalleled event being witnessed by the multitude 
who had come up to the solemn feast, they were amazed, 
marvelled, and were confounded, and doubted, saying 
one to another, " Whatmeaneth this?" Others, mocking, 

* The feast of Pentecost was on the fiftieth day after the first day 
of the feast of unleavened bread, which time being a week of weeks, 
or forty-nine days, the feast of Pentecost was called the feast of 
weeks. No servile labour was done on this occasion, but the day 
was mainly devoted to various sacrificings, and observed in com- 
memoration of the fiftieth day after the deliverance of Israel from 
Egyptian slavery, when the law was given on Mount Sinai. It is 
worthy of notice that on the day of Pentecost the law was given 
to Israel amid the awful sublimities of Sinai ; and that on the day 
of Pentecost was experienced this first and glorious display of divme 
grace after the Saviour's resurrection from the dead. In the fh&t 
instance the Israelites received the written law ; in the last, the 
Christian Church was gathered, and recognised under the rules of 
the gospel. From this time the disciples of Christ " continued 
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine s^nd fellowship y and in breaking 
of bread, and in prayers."* 

♦ See my Scripture Types, Lecture 13, Jtwish Festivals, 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 63 

said, " These men are full o{ new wine." Peter, filled 
with holy zeal, stood up and proved to the one party 
that " these men were not drunken ;" and the other party 
he informed that this event had taken place as a fulfil- 
ment of a prophecy delivered by the prophet Joel, 
saying, '* It shall come to pass in the last days, saith 
God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh : and 
your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your 
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall 
dream dreams ; and on my servants and on my hand- 
maidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, 
and they shall prophecy." Joel 2: 28, 29. This 
prophecy being referred by the Jews to the days of the 
Messiah, the apostle, in a most affectionate manner, 
proved to them that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised 
Messiah, inasmuch as he, according to ancient predic- 
tions, suffered and died, and rose again, and ascended to 
the right hand of God. He concluded with a personal 
address, saying, " Therefore let all the house of Israel 
know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus 
whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." On 
being thus charged with crucifying the Lord of Glory, 
they were pricked in their heart, and asked what they 
must do ; to which the apostle gave the answer men- 
tioned in the beginning of this particular. Hence it is 
evident, 

1. That the blessing contained in " the promise," 
verse 39, is the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the 
Holy Ghost. 

2. That, to remove their doubts and fears, produced 
by their conviction of having committed the awful crime 
of crucifying their Messiah, and of having imprecated 
his blood on themselves and on their children, the 
apostle reminds them of the promise contained in the 



64 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

prophecy of Joel, which he had just rehearsed, and 
which relates both to them and to their children, or 
posterity. To give them additional encouragement to 
hope for pardon, he assures them that even the Gentiles 
who " were afar off, and as many as the Lord should 
call," should obtain the same blessing on the same 
terms of repentance, and faith, and obedience. 

3. It is farther evident that the word children does 
not relate to such as were in a state of childhood or 
infancy, but to adults, or persons old enough to engage 
in religious exercises. That such is frequently the 
meaning of the word in Scripture, as well as in common 
conversation, needs no proof. How often is the whole 
congregation of the Jews called the children of Israel ? 
And that such is the import of the word children in this 
passage, is evident from the prophecy from which it is 
quoted, where the subjects are specified as sons and 
daughters, &c. ; but no infants are mentioned. Besides, 
these persons were " to prophecy, see visions, dream 
dreams,^'^ &c., which could not be said of such as are in 
a state of infancy. "It is urged in behalf of infants that 
' the promise is to you and to your children ;' true, but 
it is added, * as many as the Lord our God shall call.^ 
When children hear, understand, love, and obey the 'call 
of the Lord our God,* none should hesitate to lead them 
to follow their Lord." Hinton, 91 . 

4. It appears also that repentance and faith in Christ 
are necessary to the enjoyment of the blessings promised, 
and, therefore, this promise cannot refer to infants. 
** Even as many as the Lord our God shall call." 

Such, dear reader, I conceive to be the true meaning 
of this passage ; and in this I am supported by not a, 
few Pedobaptist theologians. 

Witdus : " And it shall come to pass afterward that 



ESSAY III.J ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 65 

I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." Joel 2 : 28. 
" Concerning which promise Peter speaks." Acts 2 : 39. 
" For the promise is unto you and to your children," 
&c. Exercit. in Si/mb., Exc. 11,^ 19. 

Dr. Doddridge : " Considering that the gift of the 
Spirit had been mentioned just before, it seems most 
natural to interpret this as a reference to that passage in 
Joel which had been so largely cited above, (verse 17, 
et seq.,) where God promises the effusion of the Spirit 
on his sons and daughters." Note on the place. 

Dr. Owen : " This promise of the Spirit is sometimes 
called the promise of the covenant. Acts 2 : 39. The 
promise is to you ; which promise is that which Christ 
receiveth from his Father, ver. 33, even the promise of 
the Holy Ghost.'''' Perseverance, p. 116. 

Dr. Hammond : ** If any have made use of that very 
unconcludent argument, (Acts 2 : 39,) I have nothing to 
say in defence of them. I think that the word children 
there, is really the posterity of the Jews, and not pecu- 
liarly their infant children." Works, vol. 1, p. 490. 

Dr. Whitby : ** These words will not prove a right of 
infants to receive baptism — the promise here being 
that only of the Holy Ghost, mentioned ver. 16-18; 
and so relating to the times of the miraculous effusion of 
the Holy Ghost, and to those persons who by age were 
made capable of these extraordinary gifts." Annot. on 
the place. 

Limhorch : "By Tekna WiQ apostle understands, not 
infants, but children or posterity ; in which signification 
the word Tehna occurs in many places of the New 
Testament. See, among others, John 8 : 39. And 
here Peter also comprehends in that expression their 
unborn posterity ; whence it appears that the argument, 
which is very commonly taken from this passage for the 

6* 



66 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

baptism of infants, is oi no force, and good for nothing ; 
because it entirely departs from the design of Peter/* 
Comment in loc. 

3. Another Scripture sanction for infant baptism is 
supposed to be, that children are spoken of as holy. 

Pedobaptists reason thus : " They that are holy are 
proper subjects for baptism ; but children are said to be 
holy ; therefore they are to be baptized ;" and for proof 
that they are holy, we are referred to the following pas- 
sages : Rom. 11 : 16 ; " For if the first fruit be holy, the 
lump is also holy ; and if the root be holy, so are the 
branches." 1 Cor. 7 : 14 ; "The unbelieving hushsmdi is 
sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanc- 
tified by the husband, else were your children unclean ; 
but now are they holy." 

Dr, Addington, speaking of the first of these passages, 
says : " The Christian is to his or her family as the root 
of these branches ; and, upon the principles here laid 
down, he or she being holy, so are they." Christian 
Ministers'' Reasons, p. 80. 

" This proves that the seed of believers, as such," says 
Mr. Henry, " are within the pale of the visible church 
and within the verge of the covenant till they do, by 
their unbelief, throw themselves out ; for if the root be 
holy, so are the branches^^ Expos, on the place. To 
build on such a foundation indicates a bad cause. 

A person must really have clearer eyes than natural 
and spiritual ones, to see or find anything like baptism 
in this chapter. Nor is there any allusion to infants or 
children connected with the apostle's reasoning, either 
in the first or second of these passages. In the first his 
design appears to have been to humble the believing 
Gentiles, and to prevent them from despising the un- 
believing Jews ; and to encourage their prayers and 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 67 

exertions for the future conversion of the Jews ; "/or 
God is able to graft them in again^ 

In allusion to Jer. 11 : 16, 17, the apostle calls the 
whole Jewish nation an olive tree, which the Lord had 
planted when he brought them out of Egypt ; and the 
means of grace and other privileges with which they had 
been favoured he styles "the sap and fatness of the 
tree." From these unspeakable advantages the great- 
est part of the nation has been cut off, and is still desti- 
tute of them; while the Gentiles, who for ages together 
had been without the knowledge of the true God and 
all the means of grace, were made partakers of them. 

I do not conceive that this passage, or olive tree, has 
anything to do with the church of Christ, or with Christ, 
the head of the church, or with the covenant of grace : 
the whole Jewish nation, as the congregation of the Lord, 
are the olive tree, as I shall have occasion to show more 
fully hereafter. 

Should I, however, be mistaken with respect to the 
root and trunk of the tree, there can be no mistake as it 
respects the branches ; and with these only have we to 
do at present. " These evidently represent such per- 
sons, and such only, who were moral agents, capable 
of believing and of being guilty of unbelief." They are 
divided into three classes ; the %inlelieving Jews, that 
were cut off from the olive tree, or deprived of the means 
of grace and other privileges ; the believing Jews, who 
remained in the tree, i. e., in the possession of the means 
of grace ; and the believing Gentiles, who, by faith, be- 
came united with the believing Jews. Now, dear rea- 
der, you perceive that, as infants are not capable either 
of believing or of being guilty of unbelief, the passage 
can have no reference whatever to them, but respects 
the conversion of Jews, from the days of the apostles 



68 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

till all Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salva- 
tion. The figurative expression in the text is evidently 
in allusion to the law in Levit. 23 : 14, 17 ; that where- 
as, by the offering of the first fruits and waving two 
loaves, the whole lump was sanctified, i. e., all the other 
produce of the year was made lawful food, and might be 
eaten with the approbation of God ; so in like manner 
the first Jewish converts were a sample and pledge of 
those that should believe hereafter. 

That this is the proper sense of the passage, is ac- 
knowledged by many of our Pedobaptist brethren. Take 
a few. 

Toletus and Menochius : " Paul here denominates the 
first Jews that were converted to the faith — namely, the 
apostles and disciples of our hord— first fruits J^ Apud 
Poll, Synop. in loc. 

Dr. Doddridge : ^^ For if the first fruits he holy, so is 
the lump. The consecration of them was looked upon 
as in effect the consecration of all. And so would I 
look upon the conversion of some few of the Jewish 
nation as an earnest of the conversion of all the rest." 
Paraphrase on the place. 

The next passage referred to, where children are 
said to be holy, has as little to do with baptism as the 
former. 

The children are said to be holy, not because one of 
the parents is a believer, but because of the lawful mar- 
riage of the parents ; who, though married while both 
were unbelievers, were sacredly set apart to each other 
according to the matrimonial ordinance of God. 

You will observe that the apostle speaks of both 
partners as unbelievers when united in marriage. He 
takes a single pair, and says, '' the unbelieving husband 
is sanctified by or to the wife, and the unbelievitig wife 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 69 

is sanctified by or to the husband." And, to show his 
readers that they already admitted this truth, he merely 
i^minds them that they consider their offspring holy 
or lawful children ; for, admitting this, the parents must 
admit that their marriage is lawful, though entered into 
in a state of unbelief, and cannot, therefore, be annulled 
by the conversion of one of the parties. 

The occasion of this part of the apostle's letter to 
the Corinthians was their scruple of conscience, whe- 
ther a converted partner may continue to live with the 
unbelieving partner ; or whether, on the conversion of 
one of the parties, they must separate. This tender 
and painful question was very natural. For, by the 
Mosaic law, Jews were prohibited from marrying a hea- 
then or idolater, (Exod. 34 : 16 ;) and, on their return 
from the Babylonish captivity, those who had broken 
this law were obliged to dismiss their wives and their 
children. Ezr. 9 : 2, 10, 11. The apostle, therefore, in- 
forms them that under the gospel dispensation the case 
is different. The believing partner not only may con- 
tinue with his unbelieving partner — for " the unbelieving 
husband is sanctified " (i. e., set apart, devoted, and mad© 
lawful) " by " or rather to "the wife; and the unbe- 
lieving wife is sanctified" (i. e., set apart, devoted, and 
made lawful) " by " or " to the husband " — but they ought 
not to separate, for the sake of the reputation and honour 
of their children. For, if you separate, you thereby 
declare your marriage contract to have been unlawful, 
and your children of course would be " unclean," or 
illegitimate ; but, by continuing to live together, you still 
recognise your marriage relation, by which ye were 
sanctified or made lawful to each other, according to 
God's institution, and, therefore, your children are holyi 



70 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

i, e., made lawful to you, to be enjoyed as the gift of 
God.* 

That this is the proper sense of the passage, I might 
confirm by very many testimonies from the most pious 
and learned Pedobaptist divines ; but two or three must 
suffice. 

Mr. Pooles* Continuators : " The unbelieving hushand 
is sanctified by the wife. I rathert hink it signifies 
brought into such a state that the believer, without 
offence to the law of God, may continue in a married 
state with such a yoke-fellow ; and the estate of a mar- 
riage is a holy state, notwithstanding the disparity with 
reference to religion." Annot. on the place. 

" Paul here treats concerning a mutual participation 
of such holiness as depends upon conjugal custom, as 
Chrysostom teaches ; a holiness which the believing 
and the unbelieving partner have in common between 
themselves. Whence it follows that these things have 
been rashly and violently applied by Calvin^ Beza, Pa- 
raeus, and others, to a natural and original holiness of 
children born of believers." Biblia illustrata in loc. vid 
Grotium in loc. 

* The apostle seizes on the powerful principle of parental love, 
and appeals to the fact, that the children of a lawful marriage are 
lawful or holy children, which fact both the parents would gladly 
admit as a good argument to dissuade them from a separation. It 
will be observed by the reader that the marriage spoken of by the 
apostle took place when both partners were '* unbelieving ;" and 
that the sanctijication of these persons took place in the same state 
of unbelief, that is, in their marriage in unbelief. It is important 
to understand this truth, because some persons have spoken of the 
sanctification here mentioned as though it were the conversion or 
^antification of the soul by the Holy Spirit ; whereas it can be no- 
thing else than that ceremonial sanctification which always takes 
place in the marriage of unbelievers as well as of believer*. 



ESSAY III,] ARGUMENTS REfUTED. 71 

That the sanctification or holiness in this passage does 
not refer to internal holiness of heart and nature, is far- 
ther evident from the well-known use and meaning of 
the word when used in relation to marriage among the 
Jews. It is the common form of speech used at the 
ceremony of espousal and marriage. The man, putting 
a present into the hand of the woman, says, " With this 
thou art mekadashti,^^ i. e., sanctified to me : thou art 
now set apart as my wife, according to God's institution. 
The change thus effected is with respect to her relation, 
but not to her nature. Hence, I suppose, originated the 
custom in the Episcopal church, that at the marriage 
ceremony the man puts a ring on the finger of the wo- 
man, and says, "With this ring I thee wed," i. e,, 
espouse, unite, and join. 

Here it is evident that the holiness of the children 
must be of the same nature as the sanctification or holi- 
ness of unbelieving parents ; for the holiness of the chil- 
dren does not flow to them from the believing parent, but 
from the unbelieving ; if, therefore, the holiness of the 
children were real holiness of heart, then the unbelieving 
parent must be holy in heart too, notwithstanding he or 
she still continues an unbeliever. Do our brethren be- 
lieve this ? Again, if the holiness of the children de- 
rived from the unbelieving, but sanctified, parent qualifies 
and entitles them to baptism, then the unbelieving, but 
sanctified, parent cannot be less qualified and entitled to 
the same sacred ordinance. That our opponents would 
think it proper to baptize such a sanctified unbeliever is 
at least improbable. 

The idea of real holiness being communicated from 
parents to children, is in direct contradiction of Scrip- 
ture and fact. 

It is farther argued by some that in Acts ] 5 : 10, chil- 



72 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

dren are called disciples^ and, therefore, have a title io 
baptism. But it is very evident that the disciples in 
this passage were believing Gentiles, and not infants or 
children ; for the same persons whom some desired 
to have circumcised are personally addressed as bre- 
thren, ver. 1, and were also to be commanded to keep the 
law of Moses, verse 5. 

Secondly. The second supposed sanction for infant 
baptism is the practice of the apostles in baptizing 
households. 

This argument is much insisted on. The word house- 
hold does not prove that it contains infants or children. 
We could mention many whole households baptized, in 
which there were no children. It is the duty of our 
brethren to prove the affirmative, viz., that in those house- 
holds mentioned in the Scripture there were infants or 
children, and that they were baptized. If, indeed, as 
they say, when parents were baptized, their infant chil- 
dren were baptized and received into the church with 
them, why is it that not a single instance thereof is re- 
corded ? Is it not probable that of the men and women 
baptized at Samaria some had infants ? And that some 
of the three thousand baptized at Jerusalem had infants, 
cannot reasonably be doubted ; yet not a word is men- 
tioned of their being baptized. 

The learned Professor Neander says : " It cannot 
possibly be proved that infant baptism was practised in 
the apostolic age : that mention is made of whole fami- 
lies, proves nothing, for it does not follow that there were 
infants among them." Judd's Reply to Stewart,]). 194. 

But, as only a few instances are mentioned in the 
whole New Testament, we may easily examine them ; 
and I am persuaded the reader will clearly perceive that 
all the persons in each household are described as moral 



ESSAY III,] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 73 

agents, capable of exercising their faculties on religious 
subjects. Thus the household of Stephanas, mentioned 
I Cor. 1 : 13, are said by the apostle, 1 Cor. 16: 15, 
to be his ^^ first fruits in Achaia, and that they addicted 
themselves to the ministry of the saints. 

" This seems to imply," says Dr. Doddridge^ " that it 
was the generous care of the whole family to assist their 
fellow Christians ; so that there was not a member of it 
which did not do its part." Paraph, in loc. And Dr, 
Hammond, another Pedobaptist, says, " I think it unrea- 
sonable that the apostle's bare mention of baptizing this 
household should be thought competent to conclude that 
infants were baptized by him." Works^ vol. 1, p. 494. 

We notice next Cornelius and his household, and those 
that were with them, mentioned Acts 10. It is evident 
that those baptized on that occasion were not infants ; 
for before their baptism they all heard the word, and the 
Holy Ghost fell on them, and they spake with tongues, 
and magnified God; and after they had been baptized 
they prayed the apostle to tarry with them. Acts 10 : 
33, 46-48. 

Lydia and her household invite some attention. Acts 
16: 13-15,40. The more judicious Pedobaptist divines 
have honestly acknowledged that no certain argument 
can be drawn from this transaction in favour of infant 
baptism : for, as it has been observed, none has ever 
proved that Lydia was a married woman, or had a 
husband then living. The contrary is more probable, 
because she had come from Thyatira, a distance of about 
300 miles, to sell purple at Philippi. And if she was a 
married woman, it cannot be proved that she had any 
children ; and if she had any, it cannot be proved that 
any of them were in a state of childhood or infancy ; 
and if she had any infants, it is not at all likely she 

7 



74 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

would have brought them with her all that distance. 
Besides, it is evident, from ver. 40, that her household 
consisted of persons who are called " brethren,'^ and 
stood in need of consolation. In confirmation of these 
ideas, the reader will please to attend to the opinion of 
some of our Pedobaptist brethren. 

Assembly of Divines : " And entered into the house of 
Lydia, doubtless to confirm them in the faith which 
they had preached to them : Lydia and hers, hearing of 
their miraculous deliverance, could not but be comforted 
and confirmed in the truth." Annot. on Acts 16 : 40. 

Dr. Whitby : "And when she and those of her house- 
hold were instructed in the Christian faith, and in the 
nature of baptism required by it, she was baptized, and 
her household." Paraphrase of the place. 

Limhorch : " An undoubted argument, therefore, can- 
not be drawn from this instance, by v/hich it may be 
demonstrated that infants were baptized by the apostles. 
It might be that all in her house were of a mature age ; 
who, as in the exercise of a right understanding, they 
believed, so they were able to make a public profession 
of that faith when they received baptism." Com. in loc. 

We notice, in the last place, the baptism of the Philip- 
Y^dSi jailer and his household, Acts 16 : 29-34. Had I 
not been my^eZf blinded by prejudice, I should think it 
almost incredible that any one could read these verses 
and suppose that an infant was included in the number 
baptized in this family ; since it is expressly declared 
that the apostles spake the word of the Lord, not only to 
him, but also to all that were in his house ; and that the 
jailer rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 

I have been credibly informed that a Pedobaptist 
brother, in a sermon lately delivered, attempted to prove 
that the faith of a parent entitled his infants to baptism ; 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 75 

for, said he, " the jailer only was directed to believe, and 
yet all his were baptized." Is my brother aware how- 
far this mode of reasoning would lead him ? Suppose 
that a member of his church should request him to 
baptize his unbelieving wife, several children, and some 
unbelieving servants ; could he refuse ? Might not the 
man justly plead, " Sir, you have taught me to reason 
thus : the apostolic example must be followed. By thi« 
example we are informed that, the master of a family 
professing faith, his entire household were baptized with 
him. But his adult offspring and his domestics, whether 
converted or not, were part of the household, and, con- 
sequently, were baptized. Therefore, as I, the master 
of my family, have been baptized and made a profession, 
my wife, my children, and my servants also are entitled 
to baptism, whether they be converted or not." I leave 
my brother to answer whether he would comply with 
such a request. To build infant baptism on such proofs 
is exceedingly dangerous and pernicious. For, upon the 
same principle, and from the self same passage, it would 
follow that the eternal happiness of all that were in the 
jailer's house was secured because of his faith only ; 
for the apostle said to him only, " Believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house ;^' 
yet, as fallacious and erroneous as this argument is, still 
it is not new, for Bishop Horsey and others have rea- 
soned in the same manner. For instance ; Mr. Blake, 2;. 
noted advocate for infant baptism, speaks thus ; " We 
have examples not to be contemned of the baptizing 
whole households ; and, whether infants were there or 
no, as it is not certain, though probable, so it is not 
material. The precedent is a household. He that 
followeth the precedent must baptize households. It 
appears not that any wife was there ; yet he that follow- 



76 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

eth the precept must baptize wives ; and so I may say 
servants, if they be of the household." In Tomhe's 
JExamin., p. 141. 

The most eminent of our Pedobaptist divines, how- 
ever, have acknowledged that the jaz/er'^ household was 
composed of believers only. 

Calvin : " Luke commends the pious zeal of the jailer, 
because he dedicated his whole house to the Lord ; in 
which also the grace of God illustriously appeared, be- 
cause it suddenly brought the whole family to a pious 
consent.^^ Comment, in loc. 

Mr, Henry : " He rejoiced, believing in God with all 
his house. There was none in his (the jailer's) house 
that refused to be baptized, and so made a jar in the 
harmony ; but they were unanimous in embracing the 
gospel, which added much to the joy." Expos, Acts 
26 : 34. Thus, dear reader, we have examined all the 
instances of household baptism mentioned in the New 
Testament ; and I agree with the judicious Mr, Lim- 
borch^ himself a Pedobaptist : " The argument is of no 
force, and good for nothing,^^ See Essay IIL, p. 65. 
We will, therefore, proceed to the 

in. Third sanction pleaded for infant baptism, derived 
from our Lord's conduct to children, recorded Mark 10 : 
14. " Suffer little children to come unto me, and 
forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of God.'" 
Matt. 19: 14. 

The reader will please to notice that not a word is 
said in the whole of this transaction respecting bap- 
tism ; nor could these children have been brought to 
Christ for that purpose ; for he baptized no person what- 
ever ; John 4:2: and if the disciples had been in the 
habit of baptizing infants, they would no more have 
rebuked those that brought them than our Pedobaptists 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 77 

would do. Besides, we are expressly informed that they 
were brought that Christ might touch them. This was 
done, not in obedience to a religious institution, but in 
conformity with the usual custom of the Jews ; for, in 
imitation of Joseph having brought his two sons to Jacob 
to bless them, so, whenever a person of renown for learn- 
ing, piety, &c., arrives in a place even at the present 
day, parents and guardians bring their children to him 
to receive a blessing from his hands. This argument, 
therefore, like the former, has long been abandoned by 
(he most learned and pious of our opponents. Thus 
Poole's Continuators : " We must take heed we do not 
found infant baptism upon the example of Christ in this 
text ; for it is certain he did not baptize these children." 
AnnoL on Matt. 19 : 14. 

Dr. Doddridge: "I acknowledge, these words of 
themselves will not prove infant baptism to be an institu- 
don of Christ." In loc. 

Mr, Burkitt : " They were brought unto Jesus Christ, 
but for what end ? Not to baptize them, but to bless 
them." Expos, Notes on the place. " We must take 
heed we do not found infant baptism upon the example 
of Christ in this text ; for it is certain that he did not 
baptize these children. Mark only saith, he took them 
in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. 
The argument for infant baptism from this text is found- 
ed upon his words uttered on this occasion, and not upon 
his practice." Poole's Continuators, 

Fourthly. Having examined the arguments generally 
adduced in favour of infant baptism, I will now, in the 
fourth place, invite your attention to that particular 
argument more frequently and more conjfidently relied 
upon as a divine sanction for their practice, viz., analogy 
between the Old and New Testament dispensations, 
7* 



78 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

But allow me to assure the reader that it is the most 
difficult part of the whole subject ; not because of the 
strength of the argument, but because such is the variety 
and opposite nature of the opinions by which it is illus- 
trated and supported, that it leads into a labyrinth with- 
out a ray of light from the volume of divine revelation. 

I have, however, endeavoured, in the most conscien- 
tious and faithful manner, to unite and comprise the 
substance of what has been advanced, and will express 
it thus : 

" Religion is the same in all ages, and differs only in 
the outward mode or dispensation : the privileges of the 
Christian dispensation, it is allowed on all sides, are 
superior to those of the Old Testament ; but under the 
Old Testament dispensation children were interested 
in those privileges, and circumcision was the sign and 
seal thereof; therefore the children of believers under 
the New Testament dispensation must be interested in 
the same, and baptism is the sign and seal thereof ; and 
if it were not so, we should expect to find an express 
law excluding them." 

As this proposition consists of many members, it will 
be necessary to dissect it, for the better examination of 
them, to see how far we agree or differ. To the first 
two particulars we can have no objection ; but before 
we can decide on the third, viz., that " under the Old 
Testament children were interested in those privileges, 
and circumcision was the sign and seal thereof," we 
ought to know the nature and extent of those privileges. 
We are told by Pedobaptists " that the children were 
members of the covenant and of the Jewish churchy and 
were, consequently, entitled to the blessings promised 
in the former and the privileges enjoyed in the latter ; 
and that, as baptism has come in the place of circum- 



ESSAY III.] ARGUxMENTS REFUTED. 79 

cision, and the Christian church being only a continua- 
tion of the Jewish church, therefore children of believers 
are entitled to the blessings of the covenant and the pri- 
vileges of the church." The reader will easily perceive 
that this answer, instead of explaining the nature and 
extent of the blessings and privileges, rather obscures 
the subject, and leaves it in still greater uncertainty and 
confusion. For, as the Scripture speaks of two covenants 
made with Abraham, we must inquire into the nature of 
each, to see how far children were interested ; and 
whether the children of Christians and of Jews are 
entitled to the same privileges. We must also inquire 
whether there ever was such a thing as a Jewish church, 
and, if there were, how far the Christian church is con- 
nected with it. 

I will, therefore, endeavour to give a Scriptural state- 
ment of these subjects ; and then show that the senti- 
ments of our Pedobaptist brethren are inconsistent with 
such statement. 

It appears from the sacred volume that Abraham was 
peculiarly favoured with the knowledge of, and interest 
in, two covenants. The former is generally styled the 
** Covenant of Grace," i. e., the way of salvation by 
grace, to distinguish it from the covenant made with 
Adarriy commonly called "the Covenant of Works." 
This covenant of grace was revealed to our first parents 
immediately after the fall, in the promise that the seed " 
of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent ; 
and its nature was explained by the immediate institu- 
tion of sacrifices. Gen. 3 : 15, 21.* 

When Jehovah was pleased to call Abraham from Ur 
of the Chaldees, from the worship of idols, to serve the 
true God, he made an additional revelation concerning 
♦ See my Joseph and Benjamin, vol. 1. 



80 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

this covenant, viz., that the Mediator of the covenant, 
or the Messiah, should descend from him. And Abra- 
ham " believed in the Lord, and He counted it unto him 
for righteousness." Gen. 15: 6. Hence he became 
the " father of all them that believe," whether Jews or 
Gentiles. Rom. 4 : 4-12. To make it impossible for 
any of my Presbyterian brethren even to suspect a mis- 
representation of the nature of this covenant, I will de- 
scribe it in the language of their own confession of faith. 
" The covenant of grace was made with Christ as the 
second Adam, and with him all the elect as his seed." 
Gal. 3:16. Isa.59:21. Zech.6:13. Luke 22 ; 29. 
2 Sam. 23 : 5. Rom. 5 : 15, &;c. " The grace of God 
is manifested in the second covenant ; in that he freely 
provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator, and life and 
salvation by him, and requiring faith as the condition to 
interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his Holy 
Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith with all 
other saving graces." Gen. 3 : 15. Isa. 63:6. John 
6:27. 1 Tim. 2:5. 1 John 5 : 11, 12. John 3 : 
16. Prov. 1 : 23. 2 Cor. 4 : 13. Gal. 5 : 22, 23. 
Larger Catechism, Questions 31, 32. 

Here the reader will please to observe that the sub- 
jects of this covenant are the elect ; that they become 
interested in this covenant by /aeVA; that this faith is 
wrought in them by the Holy Ghost ; and that the Holy 
Ghost is promised and given to them : hence the salva- 
tion of the elect is secured by i\iQ promise of God ; and 
it is, therefore, impossible that one of them interested 
in this covenant shall ever perish. Again, it is also 
secured by the intercession of Chris : for we are in- 
formed " Christ maketh intercession by his appearing 
in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, 
in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth ; 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 81 

declaring his will to have it applied to all believers." 
Heb. 9 : 24 ; 1 : 3. John, 17 : 9, 20, 24. Ibid., quest. 
55. Now, as the Father heareth him always, the merit 
of his obedience and sacrifice must be applied to them. 
The blessings procured by the merit of Christ are, " re- 
demption and all other benefits of the covenant of grace." 
Heb. 9 : 12. 1 Cor. 1 : 30. Ibid., quest. 57. An- 
other benefit belonging to the subjects of this covenant 
is, that " they are spiritually and mystically, yet really 
and mseparabli/, joined to Christ as their head and hus- 
band." Eph. 2: 6-8. 1 Cor. 6: 17. John 10: 
28. Eph. 5 : 23, 30. 

Once more, we are told that " the subjects of this 
covenant cannot fall away from the state of grace." 
" True believers, by reason of the unchangeable love of 
God, and his decree and covenant to give them perse- 
verance, their inseparable union with Christ, his con- 
tinual intercession for them, and the spirit and seed of 
God abiding in them, can neither totally nor finally fall 
away from the state of grace, but are kept by the power 
of God, through faith, unto salvation." Ibid., quest. 79. 
Thus it appears that all the subjects of this covenant 
will be saved with an everlasting salvation. 

When Abraham was seventy-five years old he re- 
ceived the covenant of ^rfl5ce. Twenty-four years after 
that the Lord was pleased to make a covenant with 
him, called the Covenant of Circumcision^ the charter of 
which reads thus : " And when Abram was ninety years 
old and nine^ the Lord appeared to Abram^ and said nnto 
him, I am the Almighty God ; walk before we, and be 
thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me 
and thee; and will multiply thee exceedingly. And 
Abram fell on his face : and God talked with him^ saying^ 
As for mey behold, my covenant is with thee^ and thou 



82 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

shalt be a father of inany nations. Neither shall thy 
name any more be called Abram ; but thy name shall be 
Abraham : for a father of many nations have I made 
thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful^ and I will 
make nations of thee ; and kings shall come out of thee. 
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee^ 
and thy seed after thee^ in their generations^ for an ever- 
lasting covenant ; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed 
after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed 
after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the 
land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession ; and will 
he their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt 
keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee, 
in their generations. This is my covenant which ye shall 
keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee : Every 
man-child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall 
circumcise the flesh of your foreskin ; and it shall be a 
token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that 
is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every 
man-child in your generations ; he that is born in the house, 
or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy 
seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought 
with thy money, must needs be circumcised : and my cove- 
nant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 
And the uncircumcised man-child, whose flesh of his fore- 
skin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off 

FROM HIS PEOPLE ; HE HATH BROKEN MY COVENANT." 

Gen 17 : 1-14. From the tenourof this covenant, it is 
obvious that its subjects were Abraham and his natural 
seed in all their generations. The blessings promised 
them were all of a temporal nature, viz., that God would 
increase and multiply them exceedingly ; and be their 
God in a peculiar sense, affording special protection, 
provision, direction, &c., and giving them a certain 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 83 

described territory for an inheritance. To this covenant 
was annexed the rite of circumcision as a sign of carnal 
descent, a mark of national distinction, and a token of 
interest in those temporal blessings which were promised 
to Abraham. A neglect of this rite was punished with 
excommunication. And, although the inheritance was 
restricted to the posterity of Abraham, yet all males that 
belonged to his domestic establishment must be circum- 
cised, without any regard to personal character, conduct, 
or faith. 

This statement of the covenant of circumcision might 
be confirmed by many testimonies from the writings of 
some of the most eminent Pedobaptist divines. I will 
appeal to a few only. 

Witsius : " Circumcision was the sign of a covenant 
with God, undoubtedly made with Abraham and his 
family only, exclusive of other nations, and a seal of 
those benefits which he intended to be peculiar to 
Abraham's posterity : and, therefore, according to divine 
appointment, it was used to distinguish the seed of 
Abraham from the nations of the world. Whence the 
sons of Jacob thought it unworthy the dignity of their 
family that their sister should be given in marriage to 
one that was uncircumcised." Egyptiaca, L. 3, ch. 6, § 5. 

Carpzovius : " The covenant of circumcision is very 
closely connected with the promise of multiplying Abra- 
ham's posterity ; of bestowing on them a large country 
and very great honours ; and it was a mark of difference 
by which they might he distinguished from other nations. 
Whence it followed that, the Jewish republic being 
abolished and the land of Canaan lost, this covenant 
expired at the same time. Nay, it by no means agreed 
to the times of the Messiah, in which, according to the 
predictions of the prophets, the distinction between the 



84 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

natural descendants of Abraham and other nations being 
removed, both became one people under the Messiah, 
and afterward were to have all things common." Ap- 
par at. Hist., Crit. Antiq., Sac. Annotat., p. 605. I 
cannot conceive from what premises the author draws 
his conclusion, that the covenant of circumcision has 
expired. " Because the Jewish republic being abolished, 
therefore the covenant expired at the same time." Let 
it be observed that the Jewish nation did not become a 
republic till four hundred years after the covenant of 
circumcision had been established ; and, as it existed 
before that of a republic, so it may still be in force, 
although the relation of republic may have ceased. 
Again he says : " The land of Canaan being lost, therefore 
this covenant expired at the same time." Upon what 
authority does this author assert that the land of Canaan 
is lost ? because the Jews do not possess it ? Neither 
did they possess it while in Babylon; yet it was not lost, 
for in due time they repossessed it, and in like manner, 
in due time, they will possess it again. " For the gifts 
and callings of God are without repentance." Rom. 
11: 29. 

Hence circumcision, which is the seal and sign to 
the Jew of his right and title to the land of promise, is 
as faithfully practised by the Jews as a nation at this 
time as at any former period. Another mistake this 
author makes, in confounding the believing and the 
unbelieving Jews. The former will cheerfully give up 
their title to the land of Canaan, seeking a better country, 
even a heavenly, and unite with believing Gentiles of 
every nation ; but the unbelieving Jews will return as a 
nation to their own land in an unconverted state, and 
remain as distinct from all other people until after their 
conversion as they have been for these many centuries. 



ESBAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 85 

From this plain statement the candid reader will 
easily perceive that Abraham was interested in two 
covenants, viz», the covenant of grace and the covenant 
of circumcision ; and that these covenants were entirely 
distinct in their nature^ primleges, duration, and subjects. 
The want of keeping in view the distinction of these 
covenants has been the cause of much confusion. It 
has been justly observed by Dr, Cox, " That neither he 
nor they (i. e., Dr. Wardlow and his Pedobaptist bre- 
thren) can ever find the passage in which the covenant 
of circumcision is called the covenant of grace ; nor 
can they point out the text wherein the temporal bless- 
ings given to Abraham are mentioned in the covenant 
of grace ; nor can they show, if the terms were identic 
cal, how Melchizedek, Lot, and others, should be in*- 
eluded in the covenant of grace^ which none will deny, 
yet were not in the covenant of circumcision ; or how 
Ishmael and Esau should be in the covenant of circum*> 
cision, yet had no portion of the covenant of grace : 
nor is it possible for them to obviate the difhculty, thatv, 
if Abraham were the federal head of his natural and 
spiritual seed, or of the covenant of grace, and Christ 
is confessedly the head of the same covenant, there 
must be two heads of that covenant, having, in fact, as 
such, a conflicting title of superiority. It is the first 
and great mistake respecting the covenant itself that 
perplexes the whole subject, pollutes all the subsequent 
reasonings, and confounds together things which essen*- 
tially differ." On Baptism, p. 134. We therefore 
repeat the inquiry, viz. : What do our brethren mean 
when they say that children were interested in the 
covenant made with Abraham, and that circumcision 
was the sign and seal thereof ? They certainly cannot 

mean that all that were circumcised were interested in 

8 



86 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the covenant of grace ; for their own confession of faith, 
as we have shown, informs us that all interested in that 
covenant will certainly be called, adopted, justified, 
sanctified, and glorified ; but multitudes who were cir- 
cumcised proved, by their life and conduct, that they 
had neither part nor lot in these matters, and, therefore, 
were not interested in the covenant of grace. They 
must, then, mean the covenant of circumcision ; be it so. 
But this covenant was made with Abraham and his 
natural posterity exclusively ; and, whether it be abro- 
gated or not, it certainly can afford no argument in favour 
of their opinion, that the infants of believers are entitled 
to baptism, and that baptism seals to them the blessings 
of the covenant of grace, because the Jewish children 
were interested in the covenant of circumcision. If 
there were any propriety in such a mode of reasoning, 
surely the descendants of Abraham might have argued 
with greater propriety, that, " as Jehovah was pleased 
to favour them with the blessings of a peculiar covenant, 
in which no others had any share, he would certainly 
not exclude them from the covenant of grace, which was 
for all nations." Such, indeed, dear reader, seems to 
have been the foundation on which the carnal Jews 
rested their hope of salvation, that they had Abraham to 
their father. 

Perhaps it will be said that the Jewish children must 
have been interested in spiritual blessings sealed to them 
by circumcision, because the apostle calls it " a sign 
and seal of righteousness." In this garbled manner the 
passage is, indeed, frequently quoted ; but the whole 
verse reads thus : " And he received the sign of circum- 
cision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he 
had yet, being uncircumcised ; that he might be the father 
of ail them that believe, though they be not circumcised ; 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFITTED. 87 

that righteousness might be imputed unto them also." 
Rom. 4: 11. 

If the reader will have the goodness to refer to his 
bible, he will find that this first verse is a part of the 
conclusion of a chain of arguments which commences 
at the beginning of the second chapter. The apostle, 
having in the first chapter shown that the Gentiles were 
without a justifying righteousness, proceeds to show 
that the Jews, though circumcised, had no advantage in 
this respect, viz. : that they could no more be justified 
by the deeds of the law than the Gentiles ; but that the 
only way of any sinner's justification at the bar of Jeho^ 
vah was faith in the Messiah ; and this he proves from 
the example of Abraham, who himself was justified by 
faith before he had received the law of circumcision. 
Circumcision, therefore, instead of being the procuring 
cause of gospel justification, was only a sign and seal 
to Abraham that he had already been justified by faith ;. 
for his implicit obedience to that positive law, which had 
nothing but the authority of the lawgiver for its recom- 
mendation, was a convincing evidence of the purity and 
strength of his faith. And the reader will please to 
notice that this is the only place in the bible where 
circumcision is called a sign or seal of righteousness ; 
and that it was so to Abraham, and no other. Besides,, 
facts show that multitudes who were circumcised in the 
flesh have never been justified by faith. It is evident, 
therefore, that circumcision, though " a token " of tem- 
poral blessing, yet was neither a sign nor a seal of spi- 
ritual benefit to Jewish children. The inference, there- 
fore, that baptism is a sign and seal of spiritual blessings 
to the children of believing Gentiles, is without founda- 
tion, and must fall of itself. 

Besides, the Scriptures nowhere teach us that either 



88 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

circumcision or baptism is the seal of any covenant. 
The children of God are, indeed, sealed, not with bap- 
tism, but with the Holy Ghost ; not in infancy nor before 
they believed, but afterward. Eph. 1 : 13. 

On the supposition, that baptism is a seal of the cove- 
nant of grace, what is the consequence ? Why, instead 
of being an argument in favour of infant baptism, it would 
absolutely exclude infants from the solemn ordinance. 
With entire confidence, we submit the case to a jury 
selected from their own most eminent divines. But, 
instead of a foreman, let us hear several of the jurors 
express their sentiments. 

The great Mr. Charnoeh : " God seals no more than 
he promises, nor in any other manner than as he pro- 
mises. He promises only to faith, and, therefore, only 
seals to faith. Covenant graces, therefore, must be pos- 
sessed and acted before covenant blessings can be rati- 
fied to us." Works, vol. 2, p. 781. 

The pious Mr, Bradbury : " We call these two insti- 
tutions of the New Testament the seals of the covenant ; 
but they never seal what you have not, nor can they seal 
anything you did not." Duty and Doct. of Bap., 13. 

Mr. Hehden : " Was circumcision a seal of justifica- 
tion or remission of sins to such as Abraham was, or 
sincere believers ? So is baptism now." Baptismal 
regenerat. disproved, p. 50. 

Calvin: ** Baptism is, as it were, the appendix of 
faith, and, therefore, posterior in order ; and then, if it 
be administered without faith, of which it is a seal, it is 
both an injurious and a gross profanation." Com. in 
Acts 8 : 36. 

Hence it appear? that the jury is perfectly agreed 
that infants are not proper subjects for baptism, and that 
it would be ** an injurious and gross profanation " to ad« 



ESSAY III. J ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 8^ 

minister it to them. And who can disapprove their prin- 
ciples and arguments ? God seals only what he pro- 
mises ; he promises only to faith, and that personally 
— not by proxy, such as parents and other sponsors^ 
(see Bradbury ;) but infants cannot believe, therefore 
they have no right to the seal. 

But it is high time to proceed to the consideration of 
the next part stated in the reply, viz. : That baptism has 
come in the place of circummsion ; and that, as this rite 
was performed on all the male posterity of Abraham, sa 
baptism is to be administered to all the children of be-- 
lievers. Notwithstanding the frequency of this asser- 
tion, and the great confidence placed in it, yet I cannot 
believe it, for want of evidence. " If Dr, WardloWy^ 
says Dr. Cox, " will point out any individual passage in 
the Scriptures, in Genesis or in Romans — in Moses on 
in Paw/— -where baptism is represented as substituted 
for circumcision, * we will believe it,'' " On Baptism, p. 
149. When Moses only added circumcision to the cere-^^ 
monies of the law, it was by a divine command, and the 
infant subject was specified. Lev. 12:1-3. Andwheit 
that right had been for a time neglected, Joshua did not 
presume eveu to require it, until God directed him to do 
so. Joshua 5 : 2-9. How much less, then, can it be 
supposed that any man, or class of men, fearing God, 
would have presumed, without his order, to substitute in< 
the room of his institution a something else, or something 
bearing no resemblance to it; and, moreover, to extend 
this substitute to a description of subjects to which the 
original itself did not belong, i. e., to females ! Yet we 
hesitate not to affirm that no divine command for, nor 
sanction of, such substitution can be produced. If, 
indeed, such a substitution was divinely authorized, 
must not the Apostle Paul have known it ? And why, 

8* 



go ESSAYS ON BAFTISM. 

then, did he not avail himself of it when complained of^ 
as he was, for teaching the Jews that they should not 
circumcise their children 1 Acts 21 : 21. Why did he 
not say, I teach them so because, baptism having come 
in the room of circumcision, their children, instead of 
being circumcised, are to be baptized \ Again, under 
the law for circumcision, instances are recorded of its 
application to infants as well as to adults, (Gen. 21 : 4. 
Exod. 4: 25. Luke 1 : 59 ; 2: 21.) Upon the suppo- 
sition, then, of the alleged substitutioUj why is it that in 
all the New Testament there is not even a solitary in- 
stance of infant baptism upon record ? 

I am aware that Col. 2 : 11, 12, is generally quoted 
as^ a proof. But let us read it : " Iti whom (Christ) also 
ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without 
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by 
the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in baptism, 
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faitk 
of the operation of God." Does not the reader perceive 
that the persons here spoken of are adults, who believed^ 
mortified the deeds of the fiesh, Sfc, ; and that this pas- 
sage has, therefore, nothing to do with infant baptism ? 

Besides, does it follow that, because there seems to 
be in these words a comparison between- baptism and 
circumcision, therefore the one i« come in the place of 
the other ? We know that there was some similarity 
between Noah's Ark and the ordinance of baptism ; 1 
Pet. 3 : 21. Do any of our brethren, therefore, believe 
that the latter has come in the place oj the former? 

The eminently learned Fewe/wa, though a Pedobaptist, 
acknowledges "that the Scriptures nowhere affirm that 
baptism holds the place of circumcision. Nor from that 
place of Paul) Col. 2 : 11, 12, can anything else be in- 
ferred than that the two sacraments answer one another;; 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 91 

for it is not there asserted in express words. The apos- 
tle simply asserts in those words that baptism answers 
to spiritual circumcision." Diss, SacrcB, L. 2, ch. 15, 
^6,7. 

Besides, wherein does the striking similarity or ana- 
logy consist ? There are no doubt a few particulars in 
which baptism may be compared to circumcision, but 
there is a striking dissimilarity in very many of the most 
important parts. As we have shown before, that the 
covenant of grace and the covenant of circumcision dif- 
fered essentially in nature, subjects, promises, and dura- 
tion ; so likewise do the ordinances of baptism and 
circumcision differ. Circumcision was a bloody and 
painful ceremony ; baptism is the immersion of a person 
in water, as a solemn religious ordinance, administered 
to such as believe in the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The subjects of the one 
are only male children eight days old ; the subjects of 
baptism are not infants, but " both men and women " 
capable of making a credible profession. The design 
of circumcision was chiefly to keep tha descendants of 
Abraham a distinct people from all other nations ; bap- 
tism is to be administered to believers of every nation 
without exception. 

The defect of this analogy has been acknowledged' 
by not a few Pedobaptist divines. Cattenhurgh: 
^ Though apparently there is a great similitude be- 
tween circumcision and baptism, yet it does not thence 
follow that this comes in the place of that, ^ because, on 
the same principle, a person might argue that bread and 
wine in the sacred supper succeeded in the place of 
manna and of water from the rock. Is it to be believed, 
on supposition of this assertion concerning baptism being 
admitted, that John the Baptist, in his preaching, would 



92 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

not have signified something of this kind ; and that our 
Lord himself would not have taught his disciples con- 
cerning such an appointment ? We may add, when so 
sharp a controversy was agitated about circumcision, 
(Acts 15,) not so much as a title occurs relating to 
such a succession ; which, nevertheless, on that occa- 
sion, ought principally to have been mentioned. Far- 
ther, besides the difference of circumstances mentioned 
by the learned Limborch, and that most evident argument, 
none but male children were circumcised, therefore they: 
only are to be baptized : others add, circumcision was 
performed by a knife, but baptism is administered in 
water. The circumcision of infants was urged by the 
Lord with such great rigour that Moses himself was 
threatened with destruction for its neglect, Exod. 4 : 
24 ; and, fathers neglecting that rite, it was lawful for 
mothers to circumcise their sons, Exod. 4 : 25, which 
the reformed prohibit to women, or do not permit in 
regard to baptism. Circumcision was not performed in 
the name of any one as baptism is, in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Cir* 
Gumcision was performed upon one member only ;; 
whereas in baptism the whole body is ordered to be 
immersed. Principally, circumcision was a discrimi" 
nating mark of the Jews from other nations ; whereas 
baptism tends to unite all nations in one body." Spi- 
eileg, Theolog., L. 4, ch. 64, ^ 2, 22. See large ex- 
tracts to the same purpose, from Venema, Limborchy, 
and others. Booth, Ped. Bap. Exam., vol. 2, ch. 4, § 3. 
I call not in question the sincerity of our brethren in 
professing to believe ** that the Christian church is a 
continuation of the Jewish church, and that baptism has 
come in the place of circumcision, and, therefore, infants 
have aright to baptism ;" but where is their consistency T: 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 93 

Upon their principle they are bound by the law of God 
to baptize every man-child, whether parents are believers 
or unbelievers. It is also an act of disobedience to God 
to baptize before the eighth day, or delay baptism be- 
yond it. They must also baptize the man-servant born 
in the house or bought with money : God has not re- 
leased them from this obligation ; and they cannot, with- 
out contempt of the law, baptize a female. They must 
also admit infants into church membership, as all Jewish 
children were received into the Jewish church, (con- 
gregation ;) and they must receive all baptized persons 
without any profession of repentance and faith, or what- 
ever may be their moral character to partake at the 
Lord's table : an exclusion of the baptized, though they 
may be manifestly destitute of true godliness, will be 
contrary to the covenant of circumcision. 

I hope the reader will pardon my dwelling so long on 
this argument of our brethren ; but, as this doctrine of 
analogy is so frequently and so confidently appealed to, 
I considered it due to truth to show its fallacy. I will 
add only one or two particulars more, and then proceed. 

It has already been shown (Essay I., p. 28) that, in 
the observance of a positive institution, we are to be 
guided by the express law of the institution. Baptism 
is a positive institution ; therefore its own law is to be 
the rule of our conduct, and not analogy. Such is the 
acknowledged sentiment of many Pedobaptist divines. 
In addition to those already cited in the first Essay, I 
will quote one more. Mr. Ball : " In whatever they 
(circumcision and baptism) agree or diflfer, we must 
look to the institution, and neither stretch it wider nor 
draw it narrower than the Lord has made it : for he is 
the institutor of the sacraments, according to his own 
good pleasure ; and it is our part to learn of him, both 



94 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

to whom, how, B,nd for what end the sacraments are to be 
administered ; how they agree and wherein they differ. 
In all which we must affirm nothing but what God hath 
taught us, and as he has taught us." In Mr.Tombes^ Ex' 
am,, p, 23. Besides, to argue from analogy, our brethren 
tell us, is of very doubtful and uncertain authority. Dr. S, 
Clarke, speaking of the analogy of baptism and circum- 
cision, says : " Whether this analogy be rightly drawn 
or no, and be a sufficient and adequate foundation for 
what has been built upon it, is a controversy." Ser., 
vol. I, ser. 38, p. 241, fol. ed. 

Lord Brooke : " The analogy which baptism now has 
with circumcision in the old law is a fine rhetorical 
argument to illustrate a point well proved before ; but I 
somewhat doubt whether it be proof enough for that 
which some would prove by it ; since, besides the vast 
difference in the ordinances, the persons to be circum- 
cised by the positive law are so express that it leaves 
no place for scruple. But it is far otherwise in baptism, 
where all the designation of persons fit to be partakers, 
for aught I know, is only such as believe : for this is 
the qualification that, with exactest search, I find the 
Scripture requires in persons to be baptized ; and this it 
seems to require in all such persons. Now, how in- 
fants can be properly said to believe, I am not yet fully 
resolved." Discourse on Episcopacy, § 2, ch. 7, p. 97. 

Nay, let our brethren but for a moment lose sight 
of infant baptism, and they will most loudly exclaim 
against the doctrine of analogy, and show with the 
greatest facility how it has opened a floodgate to errors 
and superstitions. 

" If it be once granted to the doctors of the Romish 
Communion," says Vitringa, " that the order and wor- 
ship of the gospel church are conformable to those of 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTEB. 95 

the Jewish economy, {to which the Papists always look 
for the chief support of their numerous errors,) they will 
plausibly defend the whole of their ecclesiastical polity." 
De Synog. Vet., pp. 15, 16. 

Mr. Tombes has observed : " It is the common com- 
plaint of Protestants and anti-prelatists that^ in imitation 
of the Jews, under pretence of analogy, a new-named 
Judaism has been brought into the Christian church." 
Anti'pedohap., Part 2, p, 17. It is from this very fruit- 
ful source, analogy, that the Papists endeavour to prove 
the lawfulness of women baptizing in cases of approved 
necessity, because the wife of Moses performed the rite 
of circumcision on her son ; that the church of Christ 
should have a visible Head, because the Jewish church 
had a high priest ; that the true church must be infalli- 
ble, because the ancient high priest, by consulting Urim 
on certain occasions, delivered oracles ; and that there 
must be seven sacraments, because the number seven 
makes a conspicuous figure in the Hebrew ritual, &c. 
The English Episcopalians have tenaciously retained 
this doctrine of analogy to sanction the establishment 
of a national church, the strict alliance between the 
church and the state, the divine right of tithes for the 
support of Christian ministers, Canonical habits, their 
holy days, &;c. 

" Whence is it," says the venerable Mr. Booth, " ex- 
cept on the same foundation, that Christian ministers 
assume the character o^ priests, call the Lord's table an 
altar, and the holy supper a sacrifice ? On what princi- 
ples but those of Judaism do people plead for sumptu- 
ous places of worship, and the consecration of them ; for 
alternate singing and various amusing ceremonies in 
public devotion ? Whence is it, except on principles 
peculiar to the ancient theocracy, that any plead for the 



9§ ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

interference of civil magistrates in affairs that are purely 
religious, and for the persecution of real or of suspected 
heretics ? These and other particulars are defended, 
if defended at all, by Scripture, on the appointments, 
privileges, and laws of Judaism ; for the kingdom of 
Christ not being of this world, the New Testament knows 
nothing of them. Thus the constitution and government, 
the order and worship of the gospel church are degraded 
and corrupted, to make them agree with the Mosaic 
economy : as if the Christian church were in a state of 
minority, like that of the Jews ; as if the disciples of 
Christ were to be amused with ceremonious pomp and 
carnal ordinances, with beggarly elements and puerilities, 
as were the descendants of Abraham before the time of 
reformation. Gal. 4: 1-11, 21-31. Heb. 8: 6-13; 
9 : 9, 1 0. Few mistakes in theology have, indeed, either 
so extensive or so pernicious an influence upon the 
church and worship of the New Testament as those 
which tend to confound the Christian church with the 
Jewish synagogue." Pedob. Ex. 2, p. 263. 

Dear reader, I have now at considerable length shown 
that the assertion, that baptism has come in the place of 
circumcision, is without any proof, and, therefore, we 
cannot believe it. But there are other reasons which 
might be stated at large. I will only name them. If 
baptism had come in the place of circumcision, why 
were they both in practice at the same time ? Why did 
Paul circumcise Timothy after he had been baptized ? 
Why did they not settle the sharp controversy about 
circumcision by telling them that baptism came in its 
place ; and that, when the substance has come, the 
shadow is no more needed ? Since our brethren are so 
certain that baptism came in the place of circumcision 
by divine appointment, we can scarcely suppose that the 



ESSAY III.j ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 97 

apostles and the apostolic churches were ignorant of this 
change : their silence, therefore, on such important 
occasions, would be unaccountable. We conclude, 
therefore, that infant baptism was not known in the days 
of the apostles, nor the succession of baptism in the 
place of circumcision. 

We now proceed to the examination of the next 
assertion, viz., that the Christian church is a continua- 
tion of the Jewish church ; and, therefore, the children 
of pious parents are members of it, as the Jewish 
children were under the Old Testament. 

To show the fallacy of this proposition, I shall 
endeavour to describe the nature and character of the 
church of Christ, or the New Testament church ; and 
the reader will be able to judge whether there was such 
a church under the Old Testament or not. 

Our first inquiry is into the meaning of the term 
church. The Greek noun ecclesia in the New Testa- 
ment, rendered by our translators church, is derived from 
the verb eccaleo, which signifies "to call out, to call forth, 
to summon." Hence the simple and plain meaning of 
the noun is, " an assembly of people called together," 
without any reference to the qualificutions of the persons 
assembled, the design for which they are collected, or 
the means by which the meeting has been effected. 
Hence the word is applied to a riotous mob, collected 
without authority. Acts 19 : 32, 41, to an assembly con- 
vened by the authority of a civil magistrate. Acts 19 : 
39 ; for a congregation, i. e., a number of persons meeting 
together for the purpose of worshipping God, similar to 
our congregations, consisting partly of such as have 
made a public profession of religion, and others who 
have not. Heb. 2 : 12. This passage is a quotation 
from Ps. 22 : 22, where it is, " In the midst of the con^ 

9 



98 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM, 

gregation will I praise thee ;" and in ver. 25 it is tie 
great congregation, i. e., in the great assembly of the 
Jews in the temple at Jerusalem, where there was a 
mixture of good and bad. Acts 13 : ] . 1 Cor. 4 : 17 ; 
14 : 4, 19, 28, 35. But in the New Testament it is used 
in a religious sense ; for the invisible church, i. e., the 
elect of God, " the general assembly and church of the 
first-born, which are written in Heaven." Heb. 12 : 24. 
Acts 20 : 28. Eph. 1 : 22 ; 5 : 24, 25, 27. Col. 1 : 18, 
24, &c. This is the church which Christ has purchased 
with his own blood ; this is the bride which he loved, 
and gave himself for her. It is called the invisible 
church because its members are invisible to us ; seeing 
it includes all that have already gone to glory, or are now 
scattered over the earth, or shall yet be born. This 
church commenced with the first believer, and has 
continued hitherto, and will do so till the last of the 
elect shall be brought to glory. 

It is used for the visible church, i. e., an assembly of 
persons who had united with each other as a society 
after giving satisfactory evidence of possessing those 
qualifications required by the great Head of the church. 
Acts 2 : 47; 14: 23,27; and, because the admission 
and reception of each individual member int« the society 
was in an open and public manner, it is called the visible 
church. The reader will now perceive that the mere 
term ecclesia in the original, and the word chu7ch, by 
which it is often translated in the New Testament, 
leave it undetermined whether we mean a congregation, 
or the church invisible, or the visible church. Our 
present business is neither with the first nor the second, 
but with the last. I shall, therefore, proceed to describe 
the nature and constitution of the visible church. From 
the description already given of the visible church, it is 



ESSAY lll.l ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 99 

evident that certain qualifications were required in each 
individual before he could be admitted a member. 

These, I conceive, may be comprised in the following 
particulars, including all others : 

1. Regeneration, or to be born of God. 

2. A general knowledge and firm belief of the lead- 
ing doctrines of revealed religion. 

3. A determination, in dependance on the grace of 
God, to live a life of obedience to all the commandments 
of Christ. 

4. Submission to the ordinance of baptism. 

That such qualifications are required of a person be- 
fore he is admitted a member of a Christian church, or 
is permitted to partake of the Lord's supper, is abundant- 
ly acknowledged by our Pedobaptist brethren. Let the 
following extracts suffice : 

The confession of Helvetia : ** A church, i. e., a com- 
pany of the faithful, called and gathered out of the world ; 
a communion, I say, of all saints — that is, of them who 
do truly know and rightly worship and serve the true 
God in Jesus Christ the Saviour." 

Confession of Basil: " We believe a holy Christian 
church — that is, a communion of saints — a gathering 
together of the faithful in spirit, which is holy and the 
spouse of Christ, wherein all they be citizens which do 
truly confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Lamb that 
taketh away the sins of the world, and do show forth 
that faith by the works of love." 

Confession of the French Church : " The church is 
a company of the faithful, which agree together in fol- 
lowing the word of God and in embracing pure religion." 

Confession of Belgia : " We believe and confess that 
there is one Catholic or universal church, which is the 
true congregation or company of all faithful Christians, 



100 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

which do look for their whole salvation from Christ 
alone." 

Confession of Augsburg : "To speak properly, the 
church of Christ is a congregation of the members of 
Christ ; that is, of the saints which do truly believe and 
rightly obey Christ." 

Confession of Saxony : " The visible church, in this 
life, is a company of those which do embrace the gospel 
of Christ and use the sacraments aright." 

Confession of Sueveland : " The church or congrega- 
tion of Christ is the fellowship and company of those 
which addict themselves to Christ, and do altogether 
trust and rest in his protection. These only, if we will 
speak properly, are called the church of Christ and the 
communion of saints." 

Church of England : " The visible church of Christ 
is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word 
of God is preached and sacraments be duly administered, 
according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that 
of necessity are requisite to the same." 

Dr. Cotton Mather : " A church, as the Greek name 
for it allows us to think, is to consist of a people called 
out from the ways of sin by the powerful and effectual 
work of God upon their souls. Regeneration is the 
thing, without which a title to the sacraments is not to 
be pretended. Real regeneration is the thing which, 
before God, renders men capable of claiming sacraments ; 
and visible and expressed regeneration is that which, 
before men, enables us to make such a claim." In Mr, 
Backus'^ Church History of N, Eng., vol. 3, pp. 1, 2. 

Dr. Chauncy : " The foundation part of a visible 
church is the credible profession of faith and holiness. 
It is men and women, not doctrine, that are the matter 
of a church ; and these professing the faith and prac- 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. '^ 101 

tising holiness. The members of churches are always 
called, in the New Testament, saints, faithful, believers : 
they were such that were added to the churches." Pre- 
face to Dr. Owen^s True Nature of a Gospel Church, 

Mastricht : " A church is no other than a congrega- 
tion of men efficaciously called or converted to Jesus 
Christ." Theol, L. 7, ch. 1, ^ 5. 

Anonymous : " Every true, visible, particular church 
of Christ is a select company of people, called and 
separated from the world and the false worship thereof 
by the Spirit and Word of God, and joined together in 
the fellowship of the gospel by their own free and volun- 
tary consent, giving up themselves to Christ and to one 
another, according to the will of God." Jeruhbaal, p. 423. 
Mr. John Cotton : " The church is a mystical body, 
whereof Christ is the Head ; the members are saints 
called out of the world and united together into one' con- 
gregation by a holy covenant, to worship the Lord, and 
to edify one another in all his holy ordinances." True 
Constitution of a Particular Church, p. 1. 

That eminently learned divine, Dr, Ridgley, in defi- 
ning the visible church, says : "A church is a number of 
visible professors, called to be saints, united together by 
consent, and testifying their subjection to Christ. It is 
necessary that all the members thereof embrace the true 
religion, and, in particular, that they deny none of those 
fundamental articles of faith which are necessary to sal- 
vation. A mind rightly informed in the great doctrines 
of the gospel, with a conduct of life answerable there- 
unto, is to be insisted on as a term of church commu- 
nion." Speaking of the bond of church union, he saith : 
** It is neither the profession of faith nor a conversation 
agreeable thereunto that constitutes a person a member 
of a particular church ; for, according to the laws of 

9* 



102 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

society, there must be a mutual consent to walk together, 
or have communion one with another in all the ordinances 
which Christ has established. As the materials of which 
a building consists do not constitute that building, unless 
they are cemented and joined together ; so the union of 
professing Christians, whereby they are joined together 
and become one body by mutual consent, is necessary 
to constitute them a church, as much as their professed 
subjection to Christ to denominate them a church of 
Christ." B. D., Quest. 52. I shall add only one quota- 
tion more. 

The pious Mr. Brown says : " The visible church on 
earth is a society of believing and holy persons, whom 
God, by the gospel, has called from among mankind to 
fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. They are spi- 
ritual, formed by the Holy Ghost, through and for ordi- 
nances and services of a spiritual nature, and of men 
made spiritual, blessed with spiritual blessings, living 
on spiritual provisions, and built up a spiritual house for 
God. In order to he received into church fellowship, it 
is necessary that men profess their faith in Christ and 
obedience to him, and be apparently holy. 1. They 
must manifest no prevailing inclination to any kind of 
wickedness. 2. They must have escaped the corrup- 
. tion that is in the world through lust, and manifest a 
readiness to receive Christian reproof from neighbours 
or church rulers. 3. Having received the knowledge 
of the truths of God revealed in his Word, they must 
profess to esteem and love them. 4. In consistency 
with the habitual tenour of their practice, they must 
make an open and judicious profession of the subjection 
of their conscience to the authority of Christ in the 
gospel, and of their readiness to yield obedience to all 
his institutions. The end of such persons uniting ia 



ESSAY III.J ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 103 

church fellowship ought to be, 1, the maintaining and 
exhibiting a system of sound principles. 2. The main- 
taining the ordinances of gospel worship in their purity 
and simplicity. 3. The impartial exercise of church 
government and discipline. 4. The maintaining and 
promoting holiness in all manner of conversation. The 
embracement or profession of nothing but what is really 
divine truth, and tends to promote peace and holiness 
and order, ought ever to be made a term of admission to 
church fellowship. The forming church connexions 
upon this ground consists in mutual^ judicious^ and can- 
did covenanting^ express or implicit, with or without an 
oath, to make a joined profession of the faith of the 
gospel, and to walk together, each in his station, in the 
order of the gospel, as becomes saints." Nat, and Re- 
vealed Religion, 526, 527. 

From these few quotations, which might have been 
greatly multiplied, the candid reader will easily perceive 
that it is the opinion of our most eminent Pedobaptist 
divines that the members of the visible church must, 
1, possess certain qualifications to fit and entitle them to 
become members ; such as a new nature^ spiritual know- 
ledge j faith in Jesus Christy holiness in hearty lipy and 
life; obedience to all ChrisVs commandments^ and de- 
votedness to his ^cause^ 6)^., S^c. 2. That they must 
actually join the church, by giving satisfactory evidence 
of their being possessed of the necessary qualifications, 
before they are considered members, and permitted to 
partake of the privileges of the visible church. 3. That 
the end of this union is altogether spiritual, viz., the 
honour of Christ, the extension of his kingdom, and the 
mutual edification of the saints. 

Such being the nature and constitution of the visible 
church, let us now search the Scriptures for its origin. 



I 04 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

In the history of the first period of the world, i. e., from 
Adam to Abraham, we read, indeed, of several indivi- 
duals, such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Sic, who doubtless 
were interested in the covenant of grace, and members 
of the invisible church ; but there is not a shadow of a 
visible church to be seen. Nor is there any more evi- 
dence of the existence of such a church in the second 
period, i. e., from the call of Abraham to the giving of 
the law on Mount Sinai. True, we are certain that 
Abraham, the father of the faithful, and many of his spi- 
ritual seed, belonged to the invisible church ; but where 
and when was the origin of a society composed of spi- 
ritual members, admitting to their number none but such 
as possessed the qualifications described above. We 
are, indeed, told by almost every Pedobaptist writer 
that the visible church began in Abraham's family, when 
God gave him the covenant of circumcision ; and that 
every one who had the token of God's covenant in his 
flesh, whether regenerated or not, was reputed a member 
of this church. 

That Jehovah made such a covenant with Abraham 
for wise and holy purposes, has already been stated, (p. 
81,) and none does deny; but who can believe that it 
was the beginning of the visible church, seeing it essen- 
tially differed from it in nature, privileges, design, dura- 
tion, and subjects. All that can be granted is, that it 
was the first appearance of a typical representation of 
the visible church. 

I proceed now to search for the visible church in the 
third period of the world, i. e., during the Mosaic dis- 
pensation. Here, indeed, we meet with something like 
a visible church, but it is not the thing itself. It is a 
shadow, but not the substance. Soon after the children 
of Israel had come out of Egypt, Jehovah was pleased 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 105 

to enter with them into a covenant, generally called the 
Sinaitic covenant, which, in its nature, subjects, privi- 
leges, extent, design, and duration, differed but little from 
the covenant of circumcision, except that the one was 
made with Abraham and his natural seed as a family^ 
but the other as a nation, with the addition of laws and 
ceremonies suited to that dispensation, in which Jeho- 
vah was their political king, as well as the object of their 
national worship ; and both relations were typical of the 
New Testament dispensation, in which the Lord Christ 
is both the king of his church and the object of spiritual 
worship. In him, indeed, "church and state" are united, 
but they are both spiritual, and not of this world. His 
church and state are one spiritual kingdom. I am per- 
suaded that the more a person examines the history of 
the Jews, the more he will be convinced that there was 

no such thing as a visible cliurch among tliem, either 
during their journeying in the wilderness or after their 
settlement in the Land of Promise. Hence, the word 
church is never used by our translators in the Old Tes- 
tament. The whole nation is invariably called " the 
congregation^ And, as the Martyr Stephen, Acts 7 : 
38, spake of the same assembly, our translators ought 
not to have used the word church, but congregation.* 
This is he that was in the congregation in the wilderness. 
This congregation was composed of all the descendants 
of Abraham that came out of Egypt, both adults and in- 
fants, without any regard to their moral and spiritual 
state ; and Jehovah acknowledged all those for his people, 

* A similar instance of calling the congregation of Israel a cliurch 
we find in Heb. 2 : 12. *' In the midst of the church will I sing 
praise unto thee.'* This is a literal quotation from Ps. 22 : 22, 
where our translators have it, •* In the midst of the congregation J"^ 
I suppose this was to favour the idea, that the Christian church is a 
continuation of the Jewish church. 



106 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

and himself as their God, who performed an external 
obedience to his commandments, even though in their 
hearts alienated from him. This congregation was per- 
petuated by a regular succession of their natural off- 
spring, for every child was born a member of it, and 
entitled to all its privileges ; and circumcision was a 
public token thereof. Hence, we never read of such a 
thing as a church meeting to examine a son of Abraham 
for membership, nor of an examination by a session for 
the purpose of " putting himself under their care." And, 
when a Gentile became a proselyte, nothing more was 
required of him than submission to circumcision, and to 
walk in external obedience, as required of the Israelites. 
Not a word is said about the necessity of regeneration^ 
or the other qualifications required of the candidate 
of the church of Christ. No doubt there were many 
true believers mixed with this congregation. These 
belonged to the invisible church ; but a visible church 
was not known in Israel. Hence it is very evident that 
there is as great a difference between the Christian church 
and Jewish congregation, or national establishment, as 
there is between the covenant made with Noah and the 
covenant of grace. In the Jewish congregation all was 
carnal; in the Christian church all is spiritual. "The 
law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by 
Jesus Christ." John 1 : 17. " My kingdom," saith 
the Redeemer, " is not of this world." Now, if Christ's 
kingdom, or church, be spiritual, such must necessarily 
be its subjects. Hence they are members of the body 
of Christ, of which he is the Head; and the members 
of the church which he has purchased with his blood, 
and are characterized as regenerate and holy ; born of 
God, born of the Spirit ; believers, disciples. Nothing, 
therefore, can be more clear than that to become a mem- 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 107 

ber of this kingdom or church must be a personal act^ 
and not by descent or proxy. No one can profess faith, 
put on Christ, obey God, or perform a duty which is en- 
joined as a public expression and avowal of any Chris- 
tian principle for another. 

This statement of the national covenant, made with 
the whole house of Israel, is abundantly confirmed by 
our Pedobaptist writers. They clearly distinguish it 
from the visible church, by calling it a carnaZ institution, 
composed of carnal worshippers in a worldly sanctuary, 
&c. ; but they perplex the subject by calling it a Jewish 
church instead of congregation. The reader will atten- 
tively peruse the memorable words of the great and 
learned Dr, Owen ; " The institutions of the law were, 
in their nature, carnal, as our apostle declares, Heb. 7: 
16 ; 9 : 10. The subject of them all, the means of their 
celebration, were carnal things beneath those pure, . 
spiritual acts of the mind and soul, which are of a more 
noble nature. And as they were carnal, so they might 
be exactly performed by men of carnal minds, ^wdi were 
so for the most part. Regeneration is expressly required 
in the gospel to give a right and privilege unto an en- 
trance into the church or kingdom of Christ ; whereby 
that kingdom of his is distinguished from all other king- 
doms in and of the world, unto an interest, wherein never 
any such thing was required ; neither the church nor 
its privileges (being) continued and preserved, as of old, 
by carnal generation. ^^ On Heb. 7: 11. Nature oj 
Gospel Church,^^. 3, 17. The judicious Dr. Jennings 
informs us that " the Jewish church was a divine esta- 
blishment ; and all persons born in the land of Israel, 
and of Jewish parents, being considered as members of 
it, were, therefore, bound to conform to its rites and 
worship : but is there a divine establishment of any 



108 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM* 

national church under the gospel dispensation 1 If the 
New Testament gives us no other idea of the churches 
of Christ but their being voluntary societies, uniting 
under the laws of Christ for public worship and other 
purposes of religion, then is no man horn a member of 
a church." Jewish Atiq., vol. 2, pp. 62, 63. 

Mr. Arch. Hall : " The church is a spiritual society. 
Her ordinances and services are spiritual. This consti- 
tutes a grand and lasting distinction between the New 
Testament church and the church state of the Jews, 
whose ordinances were beggarly and their worship car- 
nal and shadowy." Gospel Church, p. 18. Dr. Whitby: 
" No man is, indeed, a member of Christ's kingdom 
who is not truly regenerate.^' Note on John 3 : 3. Dr. 
Watts^s sentiment shall close this part of our subject : 
" The bulk and multitude of the visible nation of Israel, 
which was the visible church, were generally great 
sinners ; and, with all their glorious titles of externa] and 
typical holiness and divine favour, they were inwardly 
wicked, and belonged really to the kingdom of Satan, and 
not to the invisible church of God." Jewish and Chris- 
tian Churches, Discourse 5. 

Having shown at length that the visible church had 
no real existence under the Old Testament, either in 
the Patriarchal, Abrahamic, or Mosaic dispensation, I 
might now point out the exact period of its commence- 
ment under the gospel dispensation. This, however, is 
not necessary at present. I perfectly agree with the 
learned Dr. Pierson, who fixes the day of Pentecost for 
its commencement. " Our Saviour," saith he, " first 
speaking of it, mentions it as that which then was not, 
but afterward was to be ; as when he spake to the great 
apostle, * thou art Peter, and upon this rock / will build 
my church ;' but when he ascended into heaven, and the 



ESSAY III.] ARGUMENTS REFUTED. 109 

Holy Ghost came down— when Peter was made an 
instrument of the conversion of 3000 souls, which were 
added to the former disciples — then was there a church ; 
for after that we read, ' the Lord added to the church 
daily such as should be saved.'" On the Creed, Matt. 
16: 18. Acts 1: 15; 2: 41, 47; 4: 4; 8: 1. 

The reader, I trust, will now perceive that the Chris- 
tian church is not a continuation of a Jewish church, 
seeing there never was a Jewish church, but a mere 
congregation, composed of a mixture of hearers, all pro- 
fessing to be Israelites, i. e., not Gentiles, as our con* 
gregations profess to be Christians^ and not Jews nor 
Mahomedans. Our brethren would be much nearer the 
truth if they should argue thus : All Christian congrega- 
tions are but a continuation of the congregation of Israel ; 
hvii the Jewish children were members of the congrega- 
tion of Israel, and entitled to all its privileges ; therefore 
the Christian children are also members of the congre^ 
gation, and entitled to its privileges. But this would 
not entitle infants to the sacred ordinance of baptism ; 
for it is acknowledged on all hands, that baptism is only 
to be administered to persons spiritually qualijied for 
membership in the visible church ; but, from the descrip- 
tion we have given of it, it is evident that infants do not 
possess the requisite qualifications for membership. 

Fifthly. It is farther argued that infant baptism is an 
apostolical tradition ; and, though the Scriptures are 
silent in the case, the uninterrupted tradition and usage 
of the church make up that defect. This argument of 
all others has the least weight with me. I dread it as a 
burned child dreads the fire. It was by the vain 
traditions received of the fathers that I was so long kept 
in ignorance of the truth as it is in Jesus. These tradi- 
tions are considered by the Rabbins of greater authority 

10 



110 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

and utility than the Word of God itself. The former they 
compare to wine, the latter to water : and who knows 
not that the same principle has been adopted by the 
Roman hierarchs, as the sanction and authority of the 
innumerable errors in doctrine and practice so prevalent 
and so firmly believed in that denomination ? Besides, 
it is abundantly acknowledged by all Protestants, (some 
Episcopalians excepted,) and was the ground of the refor- 
mation and non-conformity, that mere tradition, without 
divine precept or Scripture example, is no sufficient 
warrant either for doctrine or practice. 

Again, the ground of this argument is as fallacious as 
the argument is weak. Tradition concerning infant 
baptism has never been traced as far back as the apos- 
tolic age. It has been proved, and, I believe, beyond 
the power of contradiction, that Origen, who flourished 
in the beginning of the third century, was the first who 
asserted infant baptism to be an apostolical tradition ; 
and it is equally acknowledged that Origen embraced 
several dangerous errors, and that his writings, translated 
by Ruffinus^ were so corrupted that the reader is very 
uncertain which is Origen's or Ruffinus'. See this 
subject fully discussed by Danverse on Baptism, pp. 133- 
150. Booth, Pedob. Exam., vol. 2, pp. 97, 421. 

Dear reader, we have now examined all the argu- 
ments of our Pedobaptist brethren in favour of infant 
baptism : and I most sincerely confess that the more I ex- 
amine this subject, the more I am convinced that there 
is no sanction for it in the Scriptures ; and that, there- 
fore, it must be displeasing in the sight of God. The 
objections against this Essay will be answered hereafter. 



ill 

ESSAY IV. 
Immersion the only Scriptural Mode of Baptism. 

Having in the preceding Essays pointed out the 
proper subjects of baptism, I proceed now to show that 
immersion is the only Scriptural mode. 

My first argument is drawn from the signification of 
the word used by the sacred writers to express the act 
of this ordinance. The reader will please to observe, 

1. That in the Greek, as well as in ather languages, 
there are distinct words to express the variety of uses 
to which water may be applied. RJiantizo, (from 
rhaino) to sprinkle ; ekcheo, to pour out ; louo, to 
wash ; haptizo, (from hapto,) to immerse or cover in 
water or any other fluid. The latter of these, with its 
derivatives, is invariably used through the New Testa- 
ment in relation to this ordinance. If washing, pouring, 
or sprinkling had been sufficient, it is certainly worth 
our inquiry. Why did the inspired writers always use 
one and the same word, acknowledged by all to signify, 
primarily and constantly, to immerse ? Now, as we 
never mean to sprinkle when we say to immerse, so 
when our blessed Lord said haptizantes, immersing 
them, he did not mean rhantizantes^ sprinkling them. 

As it is by the meaning of words we judge of the 
nature and design of a law, the primary meaning of the 
words used in that law must be taken in interpreting it. 
This is a universal maxim. Hence, we are told by the 
learned Mr. Ferguson, " If men may be permitted to 
forsake the natural and genuine sense of words where 
tha matter is capable of it, they may, notwithstanding 



112 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

their declaring themselves to believe the gospel, yet 
believe nothing at all of the Christian faith. We are 
not to forsake the genuine and natural signification of 
wordsy unless there he the highest evidence that the author 
did otherwise intend them^ saith the civil law. And, as 
Austin says, * the proper signification of words is always 
to he retained, unless necessity enforces us to expound 
them otherwise.^ Every Scripture expression, word, and 
phrase is to be taken properly, and according to its 
original and immediate meaning, if nothing of absurdity, 
nothing repugnant to faith, or disagreeable to the com- 
mon notions of mankind arise or ensue upon such an 
acceptation. There is no bounding of a rovrng fancy, 
which loves to sport itself with the ideas and phantasms 
itself has raised, without confining ourselves within the 
aforesaid limits. What better evidence can we have of 
the sense of a place than that, had an author intended 
such a meaning, he could have used no plainer expres- 
sion to declare it." Interest of Reason in Religion, 
pp. 328, 333, 462. 

Now, as the evangelists, in recording the commission 
of our Lord, (Matt. 28 : 19, and Mark 16 : 16,) doubt- 
less have used the words of Christ, and as the language 
is not a mere allusion to baptism nor an incidental use 
of terms, in which case words are often applied in a 
laxer sense ; but it is the institution of that ordinance — • 
it is divine law ; therefore the expressions contained in 
it must be understood in their natural and ohmou& 
meaning. 

2. That the word haptizein (rendered to baptize) 
signifies, primarily, to immerse^ is acknowledged by all 
lexicographers, ancient and modern. Take the follow- 
ing : Stephanus, Baptizo, to dip or immerse. Scahula, 
Baptizo^ to baptize, to dip ox, immerse as those things 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 113 

that we immerse in water for the sake of dying or 
washing. Schrevelius. Baptizo, to baptize, plunge, wash. 
Hederic. Baptizo, to dip, immerse, or plunge in water. 
Parkhurst, Baptizo, to dip, immerse, or pUmge in water. 
Schleusner. Baptizo properly signifies to immerse, to 
dye by dipping, to overwhelm in water. Ewing, Bap- 
tizo^ in its primary and radical sense, I cover with 
water. It is used to denote, first, I plunge or sink 
completely under water. That it is never used in the 
New Testament to signify pouring or sprinkling, will 
not easily be denied ; and is confessed by many Pedo- 
baptists, men most eminent for learning as well as piety. 
Mr. Booth has collected from their writings more than 
eighty testimonies, from which I have selected but a 
few, which are affectianately recommended to the seri-. 
ous consideration of the candid reader. 

Witsius : "It cannot be denied that the native sig- 
nification of the word haptein and haptizein is, io plunge, 
to dipT Oecon, Foed., L. 4, ch. 16, ^ 13. 

Buddeus ; " The words haptizein and baptismos are 
not to be interpreted of aspersion, but always of immer- 
sion." Theol. Dogmat., L. 5, ch. 1, ^ 5. 

Calvin : " The very word baptize, however, signifies 
to immerse ; and it is certain that immersion was the 
practice of the ancient church." L. 5, ch. 15, ^ 2. 

Vitringa : " The act of baptizing is the immersion of 
believers in water. This expresses the force of the 
word. Thus also it was performed by Christ and his 
apostles^ Aphorismi Sanct. Theol. Aphoris., 884. 

Zanchius : " Baptism is a Greek word, and signifies 
two things ; first, and properly, immersion in water ; 
for the proper signification of the word baptizo is, to 
immerse, to plunge under, to overwhelm in water ; and 

tbi^ signification properly agrees with our baptisii), and 

10* 



114 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

has a resemblance of tlie thing signified." Opera.\ tomv 
6, p. 217. 

N. B. Mr, De Courcy tells us " that the opinion of 
ZancMus is worth a thousand others." Rejoinder, p, 
201. 

Venema : " The word haptizein, to baptize, is nowhere 
used in the Scripture for sprinkling ; no, not in Mark 
7 : 4." Inst. Hist. Eccl. Vet. et Nov. Test., torn. 3, 
Secul. 1, ^ 138. 

Alstedius : " Baptizein, to baptize, signifies only to 
Ifeimerse ; not to wash, except by consequence." Lex, 
TAeo/.,ch. 12,p. 221. 

Dear reader, consider these plain and explicit testi- 
monies of these and a thousand other Pedobaptists, that 
the primary meaning of the word haptizein is, to im- 
merse, and you will, I trust, no longer believe that mere 
sprinkling is enough. 

You are requested, however, to look at the following 
admission of a learned Pedobaptist writer of the seven- 
. teenth century : 

*^ The native and proper signification of it (baptizein) 
is, to dip into water, or to plunge under water. 

" John 3 : 22, 23. After th^se things came Jesus and 
his disciples into the land of Judea ; and there he tarried 
with them and baptized. And John also was baptizing 
in iEnon, near to Salim, because there was much water 
there ; and they came and were baptized. Also Matt. 
3 : 16, and Acts 8 : 38." Critica Sacra, by Edward 
Leigh. 

The reader will observe that this writer admits that 
" the native and proper signification of it (baptizein) is, 
to dip into water, or to plunge under water ;" and, to 
show this " native and proper signification," he adduces 
the practice of " Jesus," and " John," and " Philip" 



ESSAY IV.J IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 115' 

And yet this man was so much a Pedobaptist as to say, 
" Christ nowhere requireth dipping, but only baptizing.'^ 
That is, if I understand the meaning of words, " Christ 
nowhere requireth dippings but only dipping. 

The following quotation shall close this part of our 
argument: 

" That the word haptizo has the same meaning in* 
the Greek classics as it has in the New Testament ha& 
been fully established by Gale, Stennett, Gill, Booths 
Riply, and Judd, and above all, in the unanswerable 
work of Mr, Carson, Take the following extract as a^ 
specimen: ^ Bapto is never used to denote the ordi- 
nance of baptism ; and haptizo never signifies to dye. 
The primitive word hapto has two significations ; the 
primary to dip, the secondary to dy^e. But the deriva- 
tive is formed to modify the primary only ; and in all 
the Greek language I assert that an instance is not to 
be found in which it has the secondary meaning of the 
primitive word. If this assertion is not correct, it will 
be easy for learned men to produce an example in con- 
tradiction. That hapto is never applied to the ordinance 
of baptism, any one can verify who is able to look into 
the passages of the Greek Testament, where the ordi- 
nance is spoken of.' Now, if this observation is just, it 
overturns all those speculations that explain the word,, 
as applied to baptism, by an allusion to dying ; for the 
primitive word that has this secondary meaning is not 
applied to the ordinance ; and the derivative word, which 
is appointed to express it, has not the secondary signi- 
fication of dying. Bapto has two meanings ; haptizo, 
in the whole history of the Greek language, has but one. 
It not only signifies to dip or immerse, but it never has> 
any other meaning. Each of these words has its spe* 



116 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

cific province, into which the other cannot enter ; while 
there is a common province in which either of them may 
serve. Either of them may signify to dip generally ; 
but the primitive cannot specifically express that ordi- 
nance to which the derivative has been appropriated ; 
and the derivative cannot signify to dye, which is a part 
of the province of the primitive. The difference is pre- 
cise and important. Most of the confusion of ideas on 
both sides of the question, with respect to the definite 
meaning of the word baptism, has arisen from overlook- 
ing this difference." Baptism in its mode and subjects 
considered, p. 13. Se^ Hinton, Hist, of Bap., p. 17. 

Beza, on Mark 7 : 4, observes : " Christ commanded 
us to be baptized, by which word it is certain immer- 
sion is signified. Baptizesthai in this place is more 
thaa niptein ; because that seems to respect the whole 
body, this only the hands. Nor does haptizein signify 
to wash, except by consequence ; for it properly signi- 
fies to immerse for the sake of dying. To be baptized 
in water signifies no other than to be immersed in water, 
which is the external ceremony of baptism." Epistola 
11; ad Thorn, Tillium. Annot. in Mark. 7 : 4, &c. 

Curtlerus ; *' To baptize, among the Greeks, ia un- 
doubtedly to immerse, to dip ; and baptism is immersion, 
dipping." Institut, TheoL^ Cap. 38, ^ 108, <kc. 

The following quotations are from the Christian Re- 
view, vol. 3, p. 96, &c. : 

Professor Fritsche, a disciple of Herman, in his Co7n, 
on Matt. 3 : 6, says : " That baptism was performed, 
not by sprinkling, but by immersion, is evident, not only 
from the nature of the word, but from Rom. 6 : 4^" 

Augusti, vol. 5, p. 5 : " The word baptism, according 
to etymology and usage^ signifies, to immerse^ submerge^ 



ESSAY IV,] IMMERSION THE ONLY RJODE. 11? 

8^c. ; and the choice of the expression betrays an age in 
which the latter custom of sprinkling had not been intro- 
duced.'^^ 

The author of the Free Inquiry^ respecting baptism, 
Leipsic, 1802, says: "Baptism is perfectly identical 
with our word immersion or submersion, [tauchen oder 
untertauchen.) 

Professor Rost, the principal Greek lexicographer 
now living, in his standard German-Greek lexicon, re- 
vised with the assistance of a native Greek, put down, 
as the primary signification of all such words as plunge, 
immerse, and submerse, [tauchen, eintauchen, untertau^ 
chen,) bapto ; but under the words wash, wet, pour, and 
the like, (washen, beneizen, giessen, begiessen,) though 
he gives copious definitions in Greek, he never employs 
the word bapto, nor any of its derivatives/' 

It is important to put every reader of the New Testa- 
ment, however uninstructed in even the letters of the 
Greek alphabet, into a method of ascertaining for him- 
self, independently of the criticisms and declarations of 
men of learning, what is the mind of Christ as revealed 
in his Word in regard to this institution. Let him adopi 
the following process ; it will conduct a meek and en^ 
quiring mind to a satisfactory result : Let him substiT 
tute whatever word is offered as containing the true 
import of to baptize, for this in all the passages in the 
New Testament relating to this ordinance ; if it be the 
proper representative of the word, it will translate it in 
every instance ; if it fail to do this, it may be rejected 
as improper. What then is its true meaning ? 

Is it to sprinkle ? John also was sprinkling in JEnon, 
near to Salim, because there was muck water there, 
John 3 : 23. Therefor^ we are buried with him by 



118 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

sprinkling. Will this word express the meaning of the 
writer ? 

Is it io pour ? Jesus came from Nazareth to Galilee, 
and was poured of John in Jordan. Repent and be 
poured, every one of you. And they went down both 
into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he 
poured him. This represents Philip to pour the Eunuch, 
and the water on him. The common sense of mankind 
will decide against this translation of the word. 

Is it to wash ? Arise and be washed, and wash away 
thy sins. As many of us as have been washed into 
Christ have put on Christ, We are buried with him by 
washing into death. Can the sincere inquirer be satis- 
fied with this ? 

Is it to immerse ? To immerse or dip will translate 
every passage relating to this ordinance ; and no word 
will, which does not include this idea. John was im- 
mersing in iEnon, near to Salim, because there was much 
water there. The reader may go through the New 
Testament, and readily decide the question for himself. 
What reasonable doubt can this trial leave respecting 
the true meaning of the word ? 

3. I am perfectly aware that, in opposition to all these 
authorities, we are told '' that the word baptism is an 
equivocal, open, general term ; that nothing is deter- 
mined by it farther than this, that water should be applied 
to the subject in some form or other. '''^ Could this asser- 
tion be proved, it would seem greatly to impeach the 
legislative character of our Saviour. For, as Baron 
Montesquieu observes, " The style (of laws) should be 
plain and simple; a direct expression being always 
better understood than an indirect one. It is an essen* . 
tial g^rticle, that the words of the laws shpuld (be adapted 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 119 

to) excite in everybody the same ideas. The laws 
ought not to be subtile ; they are designed for common 
understanding — not as an art of logic, but as the plain 
reason of a father to a family." Spirit of Laws, B. 29, 
ch. 16. 

" Now, can it be supposed," says Mr. Booth, " that 
our Lord would give a positive law of divine worship ; 
a law that is obligatory on the most illiterate of his real 
disciples in the very first stage of their Christian pro- 
fession ; and yet express it in such ambiguous language 
that the most wise and eminent of all his followers 
cannot now understand it ? Love to his character and 
zeal for his cause forbid the thought ! That ambiguity, 
of which our brethren speak, must, if real, have arisen 
in our great Legislator's conduct either from incapacity^ 
from inadvertency, or from design. Not the first ; for 
he was undoubtedly able clearly to have expressed his 
own meaning. Not the second; for no incogitancy 
could befall Him in whom are all the treasures of wisdom 
and knowledge. Not the last ; for it would ill become 
one who declared himself possessed of all authority in 
heaven and on earth, to give a law of perpetual obligation, 
with an intention that nobody now should understand 
it." Pedoh. Exam. 1, 105. 

In addition to what has already been said on the ne- 
cessity of a positive law being plain, clear, and explicit, 
&c., (Essay I.,) the reader will please seriously to con- 
sider the following declarations of some of our learned 
Pedobaptist writers. 

Mr. Bradbury : " The words (of our Lord, Matt. 28 : 
19) ought to be taken in their plain and natural sense, 
because they are a lasting form to the end of time. For 
Christ to give us expressions that people cannot under- 
stand, would be only to abuse them. 'Tis unworthy of 



120 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

him who is the light of the world, in whose mouth there 
was no guile ; (such) is the plain and natural sense of 
the words ; and, therefore, to twine and torture them 
with conjectures and mayhems is making Christ, not a 
teacher, but a barbarian, by not uttering words that are 
easy to be understood." Duty and Doct, of Bapt., pp. 
150, 173. 

Mr. Benj. Bennet : " 'Tis a reproach to the Lawgiver, 
blasphemy against him, to suppose that any of his up* 
right, sincere subjects cannot find out the meaning of his 
laws, with all their care and diligence, even in the ne- 
cessary, essential points of their faith and obedience." 
Irenicum, p. 60. 

Turrettinus : " It is not lawful to suppose that Christ, 
in a very important affair of Christianity, would so express 
himself that he could not be understood by any mortal." 
Instit. Loc. 19, QucBst. 18, ^ 4. 

Dr. Ridgley : '' In order to our yielding obedience, it 
is necessary that God should signify to us in what in- 
stances he will be obeyed, and the manner hoiu it is to 
be performed ; otherwise it would rather be fulfilling of 
our own will than his." Body of Divin., Quests. 91, 92. 

4. It farther appears that the word constantly used 
for the act of baptism signifies immersion, " from the 
fact, that almost every version of the bible existing, 
ancient and modern, previous to 1820, has invariably 
either not translated the loord at all, or else rendered it 
by a term equivalent to dip. 

'' The Old Syriac, or Peshito, is acknowledged to be 
the most ancient version extant. It was translated as 
early as the beginning of the second century, where 
Syriac and Greek were both perfectly understood ; and 
in the very country where many of the apostles spent 
most of their lives. This version «niformly renders 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 121 

haptizo by amad^ which all authorities agree in its ordi- 
nary meaning to be identical with immerse. 

" The same is true of the Ethiopic or Abyssinian, the 
Amharic, the Armenian, both ancient and modern, the 
Coptic, the Arabic, the Persian, the Turkish version, 
translated at different periods, from the third to the seven- 
teenth centuries. 

" The Gothic renders haptizo in all cases by daupyan, 
to dip ; the German uses the word taufen ; (that taufen 
means dip, in the quotation from Luther, at the end of 
Essay IV. ;) the German Swiss uses taufen ; Lower 
Saxon the same ; Belgian, doopan ; Danish, dohe, a form 
of daupyan ; Sweedish, dopa ; Welsh, hedyddois ; all 
meaning to dip." Hinton, p. 45. How contradictory 
the language and the practice of the ministers when 
** christening " the child. It reminds me of a curious 
but solemn fact. Many years ago I attended the Dutch 
church at the English Settlement, near Hackensak, 
After church I dined with a friend, and the lady said, 
" Our domino told a lie." Her husband, checking her, 
exclaimed, '* My dear, what do you mean ?" " Why," 
said she, " he took the child, and said, * I doop thee^ 
and then he sprinkled.^^ 

Notwithstanding my admiration of the general cor- 
rectness of the translation of our English bible, yet I 
cannot but deeply regret that the translators adopted the 
Greek word with a mere English termination, rather 
than give us the proper English word. Had they acted 
as faithfully in this instance as they did in general, we 
should have the word immerse instead of baptize, dindi 
no other ; for they were men too learned to be igno- 
rant of its true signification, and too pious intentionally 
to lead the people into an error. Had this been the case, 
much confusion, controversy, and ill will would have 

11 



122 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

been prevented ; for the commission of our blessed Sa- 
viour would bave read thus : " Go teach all nations, zm- 
mersing them." *' He that believeth and m immersed ;" 
and who would have dreamed or dared to say that 
sprinkling is enough ? But now the common English 
reader finds it difficult himself to determine the proper 
meaning of the word baptize, and is, therefore, liable 
to be misguided by the instructions or information he 
receives from others. 

Convinced of the excellent character of our transla- 
tors, I was utterly unable to account for the reasons 
which led them to adopt or transfer the Greek word 
rather than translate it, until of late I have learned that 
these holy men of God were shackled by certain laws, 
rules, and regulations drawn up by the Bench of 
Bishops and sanctioned by King James, which actually 
prohibited the translation of the word in every instance 
relating to the ordinance of baptism. I would not be 
understood to mean that the restriction of King James 
was confined to the word baptize, for it extended to seve- 
ral other important words, as the reader may learn from 
the history of the several translations of the bible, by 
Rev, John Lewis, chaplain to the Right Honourable 
Thomas, Earl of Malton, and Minister of Margate, 
Kent, p. 317, 3d ed., London, 1818. 

A similar transaction took place a few years ago. 
When the London Society for promoting Christianity 
among the Jews commenced the translation of the New 
Testament into pure Hebrew, they soon met with the 
word under consideration, and which occasioned not a 
little difficulty ; not with respect to the primary mean- 
ing of the word, nor to find a proper corresponding He- 
brew word ; but the difficulty was, how to avoid giving 
offence. Had they adopted the word iaval or tahal, to 



ESSAY IV.l IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 123 

immerse, or rachatz, to wash, (which words are nearly 
synonymous ; for washing implies dipping or immersion, 
as nothing can be washed, unless it be covered first with 
water,) while they would have done justice to the origi- 
nal, they would have given offence to the mass or bulk 
of Pedobaptists. On the other hand, had they used the 
word shaphach^ to pour, or zarak, to sprinkle, besides 
doing violence to the original, they would not only have 
given just offence to the whole large and respectable 
body of Baptists, but even many pious and conscientious 
Pedobaptists would have condemned their conduct. 
Policy, therefore, led them not to translate the word at 
all, but to metamorphose the Greek word into Hebrew 
for the use of the text, and in the margin they put the 
words taval, to immerse, and rachatz to wash ; but no- 
where did they use the word shapliach, to pour, or zarak, 
to sprinkle. Different has been their conduct in their 
next edition : now the word tavial, to immerse, is invari- 
ably used in the text. At this I am much pleased ; for 
as soon as the Jew sees the word taval, he knows that 
the ordinance is to be administered by immersion, and in 
no other way. The reason of this alteration is, that, when 
the Jews saw the metamorphosed word jochenan ha- 
pabtisty they were shocked, and exclaimed, *' This is not 
Hebrew" and they refused to touch it. Besides, as the 
New Testament is chiefly designed for the Jews in 
Germany, and particularly in Poland or Russia, no dan- 
ger is to be apprehended of giving offence ; for we 
have already shown that in the German bible the word 
taufen, which signifies immersion, is used, and in Russia 
baptism has never been administered in any other way. 

5. The metaphorical use of the word furnishes 
another proof that it signifies immersion. 

Diir Lord, speaking of his approaching sufferings^ 



124 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

calls them a baptism. " Are ye able to drink of the 
cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the 
baptism that I am baptized with ?" Matt. 20 : 22. " I 
have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I 
straitened till it be accomplished?" Luke 12: 50. 
These sufferings include all that he felt in the garden 
and on the cross. When being in an agony, he prayed 
more earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great 
drops of blood falling down to the ground ; and when 
he cried, with a loud voice, " My God, my God, why hast 
thou forsaken me 1" Sprinkling is no representation of 
all this. He was plunged in sorrow : he was overwhelm- 
ed with distress. The same metaphor is used by the 
Psalmist : " Save me, O God, for the waters are come 
into my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no 
standing. I am come into deep waters, where the floods 
overflow me." Ps. 69 : 1, 2. Dipping or immersing is 
the only proper representation of the unparalleled suf- 
ferings of the Saviour of sinners. 

Not a few of the most eminent of our Pedobaptist 
brethren acknowledge that our Lord made use of this 
metaphor, to show the greatness and abundance of his 
sufferings. For, as in baptism the person is plunged 
into water, is covered with it, and continues awhile 
under it, and then is raised out of it, and which, being 
once done, is done no more ; so the sufferings of Christ 
were so many and so great that he was, as it were, 
overwhelmed with them, and he continued under them, 
and under the power of death and the grave for a time ; 
and, being raised from the dead, he dies no more ; death 
has no more dominion over him. Thus baptism, if ad- 
ministered by immersion, is full of instruction. It re- 
minds us that our blessed Saviour was immersed in an 
ocean of sufferings. But how trifling would the suffer- 



ESSAY IV.J IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 125 

ings of Christ appear, if baptism meant mere sprinkling 
We all know the great difference between being im- 
mersed in, and overwhelmed with, water, and being 
merely sprinkled with a few drops. " No lover of Jesus 
can bear to think of his being sprinkled with a few 
drops of suffering. All who know his history, perceive 
that he was immersed in sufferings ; but, sustained by 
divine power, did not sink in the deep sea of trouble." 
Hinton, p. 38. 

The reader will please to notice th^ sentiments of 
the following Pedobaptists : 

D. Martin: "Jesus has here (Mark 10: 38) used 
this expression in the same sense as the prophets have 
mentioned gulfs and great waters, metaphorically to 
represent great afflictions." Notes Sur. Marc 10 : 38. 

A, H. Frankiws : " The baptism of Christ represented 
his sufferings, Matt. 20 : 22 ; and his coming up out of 
the water, his resurrection from the dead." Pogrammata 
Progr, 14, p. 343. 

Bp. Reynold : " There are two words which signify 
suffering of afflictions, and they are both applied unto 
Christ. Matt. 20 :. 22. * Are ye able to drink of the 
cup that I shall drink of, or be baptized with that bap- 
tism that I am baptized with V He that drinketh, has 
the water in him ; he that is dipped or plunged, has the 
water about him ; so it notes the universality of the 
wrath which Christ suffered." Works, pp. 226, 407. 

Z)r. Doddridge on Luke 12 : 50, says : "1 have, in- 
deed, a most dreadful baptism to be baptized with, and 
know that I shall shortly be bathed, as it were, in blood, 
and plunged in the most overwhelming distress." 

Thus the Israelites are said metaphorically to be 
baptized in the sea and in the cloud ;" 1 Cor. 10 : 2 ; 
because of the waters, which stood on each side of them 

11* 



126 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

like high walls, and the cloud which covered thera all 
over like one immersed in water. Worthy of notice 
are the words of two very eminent Pedobaptists, viz. : 

Turrettin : " The passage of the Israelites through the 
Red Sea wonderfully agrees with our baptism, and re- 
presents the grace it was designed to express. For as^ 
in baptism, when performed in the primitive manner, by 
immersion and emersion, descending into the water, and 
again going out of it, of which descent and ascent we 
have an example in the Eunuch, Acts 8 : 38, 39 : yea, 
and what is more, as by this rite, when persons are im- 
mersed in water, they are overwhelmed, and, as it were^ 
buried, and in a manner ' buried together with Christ ;^ 
and again, when they emerge, seem to be raised out of 
the grave, and are said ' to rise again with Christ ;' Rom. 
6 ; 4, 5. Col. 2 : 12 ; so in the Mosaic baptism we 
have an immersion and an emersion ; that when they 
descended into the depth of the sea, this when they went 
out and came to the opposite shore. The former was 
an image of death ; the latter of a resurrection. For, 
passing through the bottom of the sea, were they not 
near to death ? and, escaping to the opposite shore, were 
they not as if revived from the dead ? As in former 
times the persons to be baptized were immersed in the 
water, continued under the water, and emerged out of it ; 
Matt. 3 : 16. Acts 8 : 38 ; so the old man died in them 
and was buried, and the new man arose." Rom. 6 : 4. 
Col. 2 : 12. Disp. de Bap. Nubis and Mans, ^ 24, 
Inst. Theol., tom. 3, Loc. 19, Quaes. 11, ^ 14. 

Witsius : '* How were the Israelites baptized in the 
eloud and in the sea, seeing they were neither immersed 
in the sea nor wetted by the cloud ? It is to be consi- 
dered that the apostle here uses the term baptism in a 
figurative sense ? The cloud hung over their heads ; and 



ESSAY IV.J IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 12T 

SO the water is over those that are baptized. The sea 
surrounded them on each side ; and so the water in 
regard of those that are baptized." Oecon, Foed., L. 4, 
ch. 10, § 11. 

The supposition, " that the Israelites were sprinkled 
with spray from the sea and rain from the cloud," is 
altogether destitute of evidence, and too fanciful to de- 
serve attention. It is refuted by the very Scripture on 
which it is built, viz., Ps. 68 : 9. " Thou, O God, didst 
send Si plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine 
inheritance when it was weary." If to be baptized in 
the cloud means to be wetted by a, plentiful rain, it would 
prove ijnmersion rather than sprinkling: nor is it easy 
to conceive in what sense " God's t(?^ary inheritance was 
confirmed " when baptized in a plentiful rain ! We 
should suppose this was more calculated to enfeeble 
and discourage the strong, than to confirm and encou- 
rage the weary. How true it is that " a drowning man 
will grasp at a straw I" " All the efforts," says Mr, 
Hintony " Pedobaptists have made have not been able to 
draw rain from this cloud. The noble column which 
was a cloud of fire by night and of shade by day, rode 
triumphantly in the heavens for other and higher pur- 
poses than that of affording a last hope to the advocates 
of sprinkling. It was the separating effect of the cloud 
and the miraculous passage of the Red Sea, which di- 
vided Israel from the Egyptians, and designated them 
before all nations as God's chosen people, in its analogy 
lo baptism, which in like manner separates the church 
from the world, and designates it as God's spiritual Is- 
rael, that the apostle, in the early part of this chapter, 
seeks to enforce ; and then at the sixteenth verse takes 
up the other ordinance, the Lord's supper, for the same 
high object. It is the moral effect, therefore, rather than 



128 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the physical act of baptism, that is here referred to : and, 
instead of affording the least pretence for sprinkling in- 
fants, it proves satisfactorily that, being as yet no part of 
the spiritual Israel, it is a grievous perversion of the 
ordinance to administer baptism to them even by im- 
mersion." P. 39. 

Farther, believers also are said to have put on Christ 
in baptism. Gal. 3 : 27. In allusion to the long robe or 
garment worn in the east, with which the whole body is 
covered, so in baptism the whole body is covered or im- 
mersed in water. 

Thus Beza : " ' Ye have put on Christ ;' this phrase 
seems to proceed from the ancient custom of plunging 
the adult in baptism." Annot. ad Gal. ^ : 27. 

Again, to show the necessity of a holy life and con- 
versation, the apostle puts the believing Romans in 
mind of their baptism, the profession they made in it, 
and the obligation they took upon themselves to live 
according to the truth which the ordinance did plainly 
signify. Now, if baptism means irrmiersion, the writer's 
reasoning is beautiful and cogent ; but exceedingly 
feeble, and very unlike the strong reasonings of this 
apostle, if sprinkling or pouring were the mode of bap- 
tism. 

" A person, when he was to be baptized, put off his 
clothes. This, as St. Paul observes, represents the 
putting off of sin, every disorderly and vicious affection. 
He then descended into the water, and stooped or laid 
down in it. This represents death and the grave ; the li- 
teral death of Christ, undergone for our sakes ; and the figu- 
rative death of every Christian ; a death to sin, and to the 
vain and wicked world. His ascending out of the water, 
under which he had been hidden, represented the re- 
surrection of Christ for our justification, and the new 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 129 

life and second birth of the baptized person, who was 
thenceforward to live to God and to good works." Dr. 
/. Jortin^ Ser., vol. 7, 3d ed., p. 7. 

I'he Rev. Daniel De Superville, formerly pastor of the 
French Protestant Church at Rotterdam, speaking of the 
figurative expressions crucified with Christ, &;c., &c., he 
says : " In general, these expressions of our apostle have 
some reference to the ceremony of baptism, and to the 
engagement into which baptized persons used to enter. 
You know that in ancient times baptism was adminis- 
tered by immersion, so that the person who was bap- 
tized, being entirely plunged into the water, appeared 
for a moment as one dead and buried ; after which, 
emerging from the water, he seemed as one rising from 
the dead. Hence the language of the apostle, Rom. 
6 : 3, 4. Col. 2 : 11, 12." Ser. translated by J. Allen, 
London, 1834. 

Professor Lange, on infant baptism, of 1834, p. 81, 
says : " Baptism in the apostolic age was a proper 
baptism — the immersion of the body in water," " As 
Christ died, so we die (to sin) with him in baptism. 
The body is, as it were, buried under water, is dead 
with Christ ; the plunging under water represents death, 
and rising out of it the resurrection to a new life. A 
more striking symbol could not be chosen." 

The author of the Free Inquiry on Baptism, p. 36, 
says : " The baptism of John and that of the apostles 
were performed in precisely the same way," i. e., the 
candidate was completely immersed under water." 
Speaking of Rom. 6 : 4, and Gal. 3 : 27, he says : 
" What becomes of all these beautiful images when, as 
at the present day, baptism is administered by pouring 
or sprinkling ?" 

Dr, Hammond : " It is a thing that every Christiana 



^30 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

knows, that the immersion in baptism refers to the death 
of Christ ; the putting of the person baptized into the 
water denotes and proclaims the death and burial of 
Christ, and signifies our undertaking in baptism, that 
we will give over all the sins of our former lives, which 
IS our being buried together with Christ, or baptized 
into his death ; that so we may live that regenerate 
new hfe, answerable to Christ's resurrection, which 
consists in a course of all sanctity, a constant Christian 
walk all our days." Paraphrase, Rom. 6:4. 

George Whitfield: "It is certain that in the words 
of our text (Rom. 6 : 3, 4) there is an allusion to the 
manner, which was by immersion." 

Mr. John Wesley: "Buried with him; alluding to 
the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion." 

Dr. WUthy: "It being so expressly declared here, 
(Rom. 6 : 4,) and in Col. 2 : 12, that we are buried 
with Christ in baptism by being buried under water ; 
and the argument, to oblige us to a conformity to his 
death by dying to sin, being taken thence ; and this 
immersion being religiously observed by all Christians 
for thirteen centuries, and approved by our church ; and 
the change of it into sprinkling, even without any allow- 
ance from the author of its institution or any license 
from any council of the church, being that which the 
Romanist still urgeth to justify his refusal of the cup to 
the laity ; it were to be wished that this custom might 
be again of general use." Comment, on Rom. 6 : 4. 

"How can we be placed in a condition of likeness 
to his death? By being buried with him in baptism 
How are we to go down with him into the grave ? By 
imitating the burial of Christ in baptism ; for the bodies 
01 the baptized are, in a sense, buried in water. For 
this reason the apostle speaks figuratively of baptism 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLt* MODE. 131 

as a laying aside the works of the flesh : ye are cir- 
cumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in 
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the cir- 
cumcision of Christ ; buried with him in baptism*, which, 
in a manner, cleanses the soul from the impurity of its 
natural carnal affections, agreeably to this saying, 
' wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.' This is 
not like the Jewish purifications, washing after every 
defilement ; but we have experienced it to be one cleans- 
ing baptism, one death to the world, and one resurrec- 
tion from the dead, of both which baptism is a figure. 
For this purpose the Lord, the giver of life, hath insti- 
tuted baptism a representation of both life and death ; 
the water overflowing as an image of death, the spirit 
animating as an earnest of life : thus we see how water 
and the spirit are united. Two things are proposed in 
baptism ; to put an end to the life of sin, lest it should 
issue in eternal death, and to animate the soul to a life 
of future sanctification. The water exhibits an image 
of death, receiving the body as into a sepulchre ; the 
spirit renews the soul, and we rise from a death of sin 
into a newness of life. This is to be ' born from above 
of water and the spirit ;' as if by the water we were to 
be put to death, and by the operation of the spirit brought 
to life. By three immersions, therefore, and by three 
invocations, we administer the important ceremony of 
baptism, that death may be represented in a figure, and 
that the souls of the baptized may be purified by divine 
knowledge. If there be any benefit in the water, it is 
not from, the water, but from the presence of the spirit ; 
for baptism doth not * save us by putting away the filth 
of the flesh,' but by *the answer of a good conscience 
toward God.'" Robinson's Hist. Bapt., pp. 65, 66, 
Burmannus : " Immersion was used by the Jews, the 



13^ ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

apostles, and the primitive church, especially in warm 
countries. To this various forms of speaking used by 
the Apostles refer. Rom. 6 : 3, 4. Col. 2^: 12. Gal. 
3 ; 27. Synoh, Theolog, tom. 2, Loc. 43, ch. 6, ^ 9. 
Although the various proofs already produced abundantly 
show that the word haptizo signifies nothing less than 
the dipping or immersing of the whole body, yet I tannot 
omit the following testimony : " Now, if baptism does, 
indeed, mean immerse, as all admit, it must (to say the 
very least) be doubtful whether it can also mean to 
sprinkle or pour. Immerse, sprinkle, and pour are three 
distinct ideas, expressed by different words in all lan- 
guages. No man in his right mind would think of 
immersing an object, and saying he sprinkled it ; or of 
sprinkling an object, and saying he immersed it. This 
remark is as applicable to the Greek as to the English. 
Indeed it is well known that the Greek excels in the 
precision and fidelity with which it expresses different 
ideas, and even different shades of the same idea, by 
different words. 

" While I filled the professorship of ancient languages 
in the university of Georgia, I had occasion to compile 
a table of passages, where the word dip, pour sprinkle, 
and wash, in their various modifications, occur in the 
English bible, with the corresponding term used in the 
Greek of the New Testament and the Septuagint. 
Dip I found in twenty-one passages. In all of these, 
except one, bapto or baptizo is found in the Greek. The 
one exception is in Gen. 37 : 31, where Joseph's brethren 
took his coat and dipped — emolunan (smeared or daub- 
ed)— it in the blood of a kid. Mark the great accuracy 
of the Greek here ; the idea is that of smearing or 
daubing, and the Septuagint so expresses it. Sprinkle, 
in sorae of its forms, I found in twenty-seven passages. 



BJSSAY IV. 3 IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 18S 

In not a single instance is hapto or baptizo used in the 
Greek. I found wash in thirty-two cases, where refer- 
ence was had, not to the whole person, but to a part, as 
the eyes, the face, the hands, the feet. In none of these 
was bapto or baptizo found, but nipto invariably." 
President Shannon, of the College of Louisiana. Chris- 
tian Preacher, vol. 3, p. 158. 

To close this part of the subject, I adopt Mr. Hinton's 
inquiry : ^' If the great Head of the church had designed 
to use a term prescribing immersion as specifically as 
possible, does the Greek language afford a word equally 
as specific as baptizo ? In other words, has not our 
Saviour employed that very word which was employed 
by all the writers of the Greek language, when for any 
purpose they directed immersion 1 So far as I am 
aware, this question has never been answered in the 
negative." Page 44. 

Secondly. My next argument is derived from thfe 
places selected for the administration of the ordinance 
and the phraseology used on the occasion. 

The first place in which we read baptism was admi- 
nistered was the River Jordan. To this place all Judea 
flocked, and our Lord and Saviour himself went from 
Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John ; and when 
" he was baptized he went up straightway out of the 
water. ^^ Matt. 3: 16. Now, if sprinkling or pouring 
could have answered the end of the institution, what 
need would there have been for going to a distance, or 
down into a river 1 Some have ventured to suppose that 
during a great part of the year the Jordan did not con- 
tain water enough to immerse a human body. Mr, 
Robinson justly observes on this : " The River Jordan, 
far fromw^anting water, was subject to two sorts of floods-; 
one periodical, at harvest time, in which it resembled the 

12 



134 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Nile, in Egypt, with which some suppose it had a 
subterranean communication. When this flood came 
down, the river rose many feet and overflowed the lower 
banks, so that the lions that lay there in the thickets 
were roused and fled. To this Jeremiah alludes : * Be- 
hold, the King of Babylon shall come up like a lion from 
the swelling of Jordan ;' 50 : 49. The other swellings 
of Jordan were casual, and resembled those of all other 
rivers in uneven countries." Rob. Hist., p. 9. 

The next place where John baptized was JEnon ; 
and the reason why he selected this place was, because 
** there was much water there." John 3 : 23. But if 
sprinkling or pouring had been equally right and good, 
what necessity would there have been for much water ? 
Was it ever known that any of our Pedobaptist brethren 
''went down to a river" to sprinkle or pour water in 
the administration of the ordinance of baptism ? Surely 
not. Nor should we have heard of going down into 
the water and coming out of the water, if the apostles 
had administered the sacred ordinance by pouring or 
sprinkling. How strange it would sound to say, Jesus 
was poured in Jordan ; or Jesus went down into Jordan, 
and was sprinHed of John ! But nothing could be more 
intelligible and natural than to say, Jesus went down 
into the water and was immersed by John in Jordan. 

Dear reader, permit a short digression on the baptism 
of our Lord and Saviour, not as it respects the act or 
mode to have been by immersion, for that is already 
established as firm as the rock of ages ; but as it respects 
the design of his baptism. This is a subject that 
deserves our notice. Some have asserted that Christ 
was baptized initiatory to his priestly office, like as Aaron, 
the high priest, was anointed and washed. " There 
was a kind of baptism," says Dr. A. Clarke, " among 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 135 

the Jews, viz., that of the priests at their consecration ; 
Lev. 8 : 6. Now, as Christ had submitted to circum- 
cision, the initiating ordinance of the Mosaic dispensa- 
tion, it was necessary he should submit to the initiating 
ordinance of the Christian dispensation, instituted by the 
same authority. But it was necessary on another 
account. Our Lord represented the high priest, and 
was to be the high priest over the house of God : now, 
as the high priest was initiated into his office by 
washing and anointing, so must Christ be ; hence he 
was baptized and anointed by the Holy Ghost. Thus 
he fulfilled the righteous ordinance of his initiation into 
the office of high priest, and thus was prepared to make 
an atonement for the sins of mankind." Comment., 
Matt. 3. Now, if Christ needed to be baptized in imita- 
tion of the high priest, to fulfil all righteousness, he need 
also to have been dressed in all the splendid and peculiar 
garments of the high priest, and performed the high 
priest's duties on the day of Atonement. But surely our 
dear brethren must have forgotten that our blessed 
Saviour was not a high priest after the order of Aaron, 
but ^* after the order of Melchizedek." " As a Jew," 
Mr. Hinton well observes, ^' it would have been criminal, 
instead of praiseworthy, for our Lord to have appro- 
priated to himself any of the ceremonies belonging solely 
to the tribe of Levi ; and no one has pretended to affirm 
anything respecting the washing of Melchizedek. Indeed, 
not being of the tribe of Levi, it would have been a 
direct violation of the ceremonial law for Christ to have 
partaken of any of the ceremonies peculiar to the 
Levites." 

As one sin generally leads to the commission of 
another, so does error. The mistaken idea, that Christ 
submitted to be baptized only a high priest, has led 



1S6 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Others to affirm that " Christ's submission to baptismisno 
more an example for our imitation than his having been 
circumcised or having kept the passover." Alas ! the 
good old path is forsaken, being too narrow and trouble- 
some. Because improvements are making in all arts^ 
and sciences, it is thought the way to heaven may also 
be improved and made much easier. The present gene- 
ration think themselves wiser than the ancients were. 
The most pious and learned divines in farmer ages 
considered the baptism of our blessed Lord and Saviour 
as a most striking instance of his condescension, and a 
most powerful argument to enforce obedience. " For 
this reason," says Calvin, *' Christ dedicated and sanctified 
baptism in his own body, that he might have it in common 
with us, as a most firm bond of the union and society 
which he has condescended to form with us." Institute, 
vol. 3, p. 425. 

The very learned and pious Witsius observes : " Our 
Lord would be baptized, that he might conciliate autho- 
rity to the baptism of John ; that by his own example he 
might cement and sanctify our baptism ; that men might 
not be loath to come to the baptism of the Lord, seeing 
the Lord was not backward to come to the baptism of a 
servant ; that by his baptism he might represent the 
future condition, both of himself and his followers — first 
humble, then glorious ; now mean and low, then glorious 
and exalted ; that represented by immersion, this by 
emersion; and, finally, to declare, by his voluntary sub- 
mission to baptism, that he would not delay the deliver- 
ing up of himself to be immersed in the torrents of hell, 
yet with a certain faith and hope of emerging." Miscel, 
Sac., p. 2. Exer. 15, § 63. 

To hasten, dear reader, to our subject, I close this 
digression by cheerfully adopting the benevolent wish of 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 137 

Mr. Hinton : " May all who have hitherto neglected or 
hesitated to follow their Lord, not only say with Mr, 
Polhill, ' the pattern of Christ and the apostles is more 
to me than all the human wisdom in the world,' but act 
upon this principle ; and, though the Spirit may not be 
seen to light upon them, nor the voice be heard, * I am well 
pleased,' (for these were honours appropriated to our 
great example ;) yet shall ' the answer of a good con- 
science toward God,' and the inward * witness of the 
Holy Spirit, lead them to rejoice that they have known 
the way of God more perfectly.' " On Baptism,, p. 82. 
Nor t)ught we to overlook the baptism of the Eunuch. 
Acts 8 : 26-4Q. Directed by the Lord, Philip met the 
Eunuch, and preached Jesus to him. When they came 
to a certain water, the Eunuch desired to be baptized ; 
and, having declared his belief " that Jesus Christ is> the 
Son of God," " he commanded the chariot to stand still ; 
and they went down both into the water, both Philip and 
the Eumich^and he baptized him ; and when they were 
come up out <jrf th^ water, the Spirit of the Lord caught 
away Philip, that the Eunuch saw him no more, and he 
w^ent on his way rejoicing." Had sprinkling been suf- 
ficient, they needed not to have gone down into the 
water, for a little water would have sufficed. " And they 
went down both into the water, both Philip and the 
Eunuch, and he baptized him." " It might well be deem- 
ed impossible that any statement could be more specific 
than this. Does any baptist minister require any other 
words to describe correctly the administration of the 
ordinance as practised by him ? Suppose I were wri- 
ting to a friend respecting the baptism of a young man : 
* We both walked into the waters of our. magnificent 
lake, and there I baptized (immersed) him in the name- 
of the triune Jehovah ; and he came up out of the water, j, 

12* 



12® ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the smile of heaven was depicted on his countenance.^ 
I ask, is it possible any human being, capable of under- 
standing the English language, can misapprehend in 
any point the physical act performed ? If perfectly in- 
telligible in one case, how can the same language be 
obscure or doubtful in the other ? 

" But of all the absurdities in the defence of error, 
the assertion, that there is the same evidence that both 
were immersed as that the Eunuch was, is the most 
childish, not to say disgraceful. Who ever affirmed that 
persons were baptized (immersed) by * simply ' going 
down into the water, without any farther action ? They 
both went down into the water, and * Ae * baptized him. 
Clearly, therefore, but one person was baptized or im- 
mersed, and that person the Eunuch. It is ordinarily 
necessary, (in rivers or pools at least,) whether essential 
to the validity of the ordinance or not, for the adminis- 
trator, as well as the subject, to go into the water, in order 
that the latter may be immersed ; but who can possible 
imagine that it is necessary for two persons * to go down 
into the water,' in order that the one may sprinkle the 
other ? 

" The last refuge is, that the Greek, prepositions do 
not necessarily mean ' into ' and * out of,' but ' to ' and 
^from.' It is a hard case if Pedobaptists translate the 
bible, (thirty of them, with a royal patent, a strenuous 
rankler for sprinkling as their overseer,) and then deny 
the correctness of their own translation in a point where 
their translators would gladly hav« pleased them if their 
consciences, already burdened with royal restrictions, 
could have endured it. All that need be said is, these 
said prepositions are generally used to mean ' into ' and 
' out of ;' and that, if that meaning has not been express- 
ed, the Greek language has no prepositions which will 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 139 

express it. Dr. Doddridge^ and many others, wholly 
despise such subterfuges, and hesitate not to avow views 
of the baptism of the Eunuch perfectly concurring with 
those here advanced. ' It would be very unnatural to 
suppose that they went down to the water merely that 
Philip might take up a little water in his hand to pour 
on the Eunuch. A person of his dignity had, no doubt, 
many vessels in his baggage on such a journey through 
a desert country ; a precaution absolutely necessary for 
travellers in those parts, and never omitted by them.'" 
Doddr. Familf Expos.^ Acts 8. See Hinton, pp. 97-99^. 

That this is a convincing argument to prove that John 
and the apostles baptized by immersion, is acknowledged 
by a cloud of witnesses from our Pedobaptist brethren 
themselves. I have selected but a few out of many, 
t Le Clerc : " John has been called the Baptizer rather 
than Baptist^ because the latter word is a proper name 
in the modern languages ; whereas in this place (Matt. 
3 : 1) it is an appellation to signify a man thai plunged 
in water those who testified an acknowledgment of his 
divine mission, and were desirous of leading a new life." 
Remarks sur Nouv. Test., a Matt. 3 : 1. 

Piscator : *' Hudata polla signifies many rivers ; as 
hudor, in the singular number, denoted the River Jordan. 
This is mentioned to signify the ceremony of baptism, 
which John used ; i. e., immersing the whole body of a 
person standing in the river. Whence Christ, being 
baptized of John in Jordan, is said to ascend out of the 
water ; MB.tt. 3. The same manner was observed by 
Philip ; Acts 8 : 38." ad John 3 : 23. 

Calvin : " From these words, John 3 : 23, it may be 
inferred that baptism was administered by John and 
Christ by plunging the whole body under water. Here 
we perceive how baptism was^ administered among the 



140 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

ancients ; for they immersed the whole body in water." 
Com. in Joan. 3 : 23. Acts 8 : 38. 

Marloratus : "From these words (John 3: 23) it 
may be gathered that baptism was performed by John 
and Christ by plunging of the whole body. Com. ad 
Joan. 3 : 23. 

Memorable is the testimony of that eminent scholar, 
Dr. Doddridge: " Surely nothing can be more evident 
than that pollu udatu (many waters) signifies a large 
quantity of water, it being some times used for the 
Euphrates, Jer. 51 : 13, (Septuagint,) to which, I sup- 
pose, there may also be an allusion, Rev. 17, 1 ; Comp. 
with Ezek. 43 : 2 ; and Rev. 1 : 15 ; 14 : 2 ; 19 : 6, 
where the voice of many waters does plainly signify the 
roaring of the high sea." Family Expositor, 

Thirdly. Observe, in the third place, the practice of 
the primitive churches as another argument in favour of 
immersion. As the apostles of Jesus Christ were to 
form and organize his visible church, our blessed Lord 
continued with them after his resurrection forty days, 
'* speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of 
God." Among other subjects, baptism, the door of en- 
trance to that kingdom or his church, was doubtless fully 
explained to them ; and when they entered on their com- 
mission to preach, teach, or disciple, and to baptize, a 
part of their teaching would certainly consist in pointing 
out the nature, design, the mode, and subjects of baptism. 
And as it has already been proved in the preceding 
pages from the sacred Scriptures, as well as from the 
concessions of Pedobaptists, that the word baptism 
throughout the whole of the New Testament signifies 
immersion only ; and that John and Philip administered 
by immersion ; and that the Lord Jesus Christ himself 
went down into the water ^ and, being immersed by John 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 141 

in the River Jordan, he straiglitway came again up out of 
the water ; and as the Saviour, the great Head of the 
church, in his commission, used the word baptism^ to 
immerse, in preference to those words which signify to 
wash, pour, or sprinkle ; and as the apostles themselves, 
when speaking of hi& ordinance, invariably used the same 
word, to immerse ; we may certainly conclude that im- 
mersion was the only mode used in the churches they 
planted ; and that it continued unchanged for some 
time. 

Nor are we at a loss to produce unimpeached testi- 
monies on this subject. Not a few Pedobaptists, whose 
praise is in all the churches, have honourably confessed 
that immersion was the constant mode in the primitive 
church. The reader will have observed in the pre- 
ceding paragraphs that this was the opinion of Calviriy 
Vitringa^ Frankius^ Turrettin^ Beza^ Burmannusj Le 
ClerCj Pictetus^ Piscator^ and Marloratus. (See § 2, 5, 
6.) I will add only a few more. 

Salmanius : " The ancients did not baptize otherwise 
than by immersion, either once or thrice," See Wit- 
sius, Oecon. Foed., L. 4, ch. 16,^ 13. 

Heidanus : " That John the Baptist and the apostles 
immersed, there is no doubt, (Matt. 3 : 6, 16. John 3 : 
23. Acts 8 : 38,) whose example the ancient church 
followed, as is most evident from the testimonies of 
the Fathers^ Corp. TheoL Christ., Log. 1 4, torn. 2, p. 
475. Bishop Smith, of Kentucky, hath lately publicly 
affirmed " that, after the most careful investigation and 
mature reflection, he considers immersion to be the only 
apostolic mode of baptism, and recommends the church 
of which he is an eminent and highly-esteemed minis- 
ter, to delegate one of its number to procure immersion 
at the bands of a Greek priest ; that, having received it 



142 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

in undoubted succession from the apostles, he may be 
authorized to administer baptism in its ancient purity to 
all his brethren on this side of the Atlantic." Hinton on 
Baptism^ Pre/., P- 14, note h. 

Zanchius : '' The ancient church used to immerse 
those that were baptized. Thus Christ went down into 
Jordan and was baptized ; as also others that were bap- 
tized by John. Opera, tom. 6, p. 217, In answer to 
the question, " how baptism ought to be performed," Dr. 
/. Jortin says : " At the beginning it seems to have 
been performed usually, but perhaps not always, by 
being plunged into the water. The Christian world has 
changed this practice for that of sprinkling or pouring 
water on the face ; so few persons excepted, who not 
only contend for retaining the ancient method of dipping, 
but hold it to be of absolute necessity, and will not allow 
those who have been sprinkled to be truly baptized, or to 
be members of the church of Christ. But in this they 
appear to be superstitious, and ignorant of the true na- 
ture of ceremonies and the difference between moral 
and ritual ordinances. Moral laws are the same yes- 
terday, to-day, and for ever ; they are immutable and 
eternal, and admit of no variety or relaxation : but ritual 
laws, which are made sacred only by appointment, are 
capable of suspension or alteration ; and when, by a 
concurrence of circumstances, they become impractica- 
ble, or extremely inconvenient, it is to be supposed that 
the rigour and the letter of the law yields to the inten- 
tion of the Lawgiver, which was not to burden and dis- 
tress any one by minute and scrupulous ordinances. 
Baptism was at first instituted in mild or hot climates, 
where bathing or washing the body was a general prac- 
tice. Afterward, in northern climes and colder coun- 
tries, it was judged to be troublesome and dangerous ; 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 143^ 

and so by degrees pouring or sprinkling was introduced 
in its stead." Ser., vol. 7 ; 3d ed., p. 10. 

Is it not wonderfully strange that a rnan of Dr. Jor- 
tin^s mind should be thus blinded by mere prejudice of 
education. He acknowledges that the original mode 
and practice was immersion, but that " afterward,^^ for 
certain reasons, " it was judged to be troublesome and 
dangerous ; and so by degrees pouring or sprinkling 
was introduced in its stead." The Lawgiver only has 
a right to change a positive institution. That this is 
the sentiment of the most learned Protestants, we have 
already shown. (Essay I., <^ 5.) 

Dear reader, seriously attend to the just remark of the 
studious and pious Mr. Booth, who, having made many 
quotations from Pedobaptist writers, closes with the 
following words : " Is it not strange, strange to astonish- 
ment, that so many eminent men should thus agree in 
bearing testimony to immersion as the apostolic exam- 
ple, when it was notorious that their own practice was 
very different ? Yes, is it not a wonderful phenomenon 
in the religious world that such a number of the most 
learned Lutherans, Calvinists, and Arminians, Pres- 
byterians, and Independents should all unite in one 
attestation respecting the primitive mode of administer- 
ing this ordinance, even while they opposed the Baptists 
for considering immersion as absolutely necessary to a 
compliance with the divine command ; and while they 
greatly differ among themselves in respect of several 
particulars relating to the subjects and design of bap- 
tism ? To what can this remarkable agreement with 
us, as to the primitive mode of proceeding, be ascribed ? 
And what is the reason of their differing so much among 
themselves ? The true reason I take to be this : when 
they unite in declaring their views of the apostolic 



144 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

pattern, they have clear, strong, indubitable evidence, 
arising from the meaning of the name which the ordi- 
nance bears, and the inspired narrative of the first 
Christian churches. Each of them feels the ground on. 
which he treads. Hence their union ; and here they 
agree with us. On the other hand, when they differ 
among themselves about the foundation of an infant's 
claim on the ordinance ; concerning the degree of ne- 
cessity and the utility of Pedobaptism ; about sponsors, 
the sign of the cross, and so on : they argue on general 
principles and moral considerations. This kind of 
argumentation is quite foreign to the nature of positive 
rites, as has been shown. (Essay I.) And yet, by a 
long train of deductions from such principles, they infer 
their various rules of proceeding in the administration 
of baptism. Hence they differ among themselves. 
Nor need we wonder; for, whenever ideas of moral 
fitness, of expediency, or of necessity usurp the place 
of divine precepts and apostolic examples relating to 
positive institutions of th« Christian church, the most 
learned and the best of men will always differ in their 
conclusions, and that in proportion as their notions of 
what is fitness, expediency, or necessity vary. For it 
is notorious that, while one esteems this or the other 
thing extremely proper and highly useful to the cause 
of religion, another despises it as absurd or detests it 
as injurious. But when our divine Lord, addressing his 
disciples in a positive command, says, ' it shall be so ;' 
or, when speaking by an apostolic example, he declares, 
' it is thus,' all our own reasonings about fitness, expe- 
diency, or utility must hide their impertinent heads. 
The finest powers of reason have nothing to do in this 
case but only to consider the natural, the obvious import 
of his language, and then submit. To reason any far- 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSlOl^ TtiE ONLY MODE. 14S 

ther here, is only to seek a plausible excuse for rebellioii 
against the sovereign majesty of him who is King in 
Zion." Pedoh, Exam. 1, 226. 

FourtJily. That immersion is the proper mode of 
baptism, appears from the t^onstant and uninterrupted 
practice of it in the Greek church. The Greeks cer^ 
tainly understand their own native tongue, in which the 
New Testament was originally written, better than any 
foreigners ; therefore their administering the ordinance 
by immersion evidently shows the correct signification 
of the Greek word haptizo. flence, the learned Dr, 
CampheU, speaking of terms which rarely occur in the 
Greek Testament, remarks : '' This is one of those 
cases wherein the interpretation given by the earliest 
Greek fathers deserves particular notice. There are 
so many advantages which people have for discovering 
the import of a term or phrase in their mother-tongue, 
unusual, perhaps, in writing, but correct in conversa- 
tion, above those who study a dead language solely by 
the means of books extant in it, that no reasonable per^ 
son can question that some deference is in such cases 
due to their authority." Trans, of Four Gospels, Pref., 
Diss. 4, § 8. The sensible remark of Mr. Robinson 
also deserves a place here : '' Whether John the Baptist 
and the apostles of our blessed Lord baptized by pour- 
ing on water or by bathing in water, is to be determined 
chiefly, though not wholly, by ascertaining the precise 
meaning of the word baptize. A linguist determines 
himself by his own knowledge of the Greek language, 
and an illiterate man by the best evidence he can obtain 
from the testimony of others. To the latter it is suffi- 
cient to observe, that the word is confessedly Greek ; 
that native Greeks must understand their own language 
better than foreigners, and that they have always under* 

13 



146 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Stood the word baptism to signify dipping; and, therefore, 
from their first embracing Christianity to this day^ they 
have always baptized by immersion. This is an authority 
for the meaning of the word baptize infinitely preferable 
to that of European lexicographers ; so that a man who 
is obliged to trust human testimony, and who baptizes 
by immersion because the Greeks do, understands a 
Greek word exactly as the Greeks themselves under- 
stand it ; and in this case the Greeks are unexception- 
able guides, and their practice is, in this instance, safe 
ground of action." Hist, of Baptism^ p. 5. 

That the whole Greek church, from the southern pro- 
vinces of Greece to the northern extremity of the Rus- 
sian empire — 3, church which, in point of territory and 
population, embraces nearly one-half of Christendom ; 
that this church has, from the first introduction of the 
gospel to the present time, invariably practised immer- 
sion, is confessed by all and denied by none. 

Deylingius : " The Greeks retain the rite of immer- 
sion to this day." De Prudent. Pastoral, Pars. 3, ch. 
3, § 26. 

Buddeus : " That the Greeks defend immersion, is 
manifest, and has been frequently observed by learned 
men : which Ludolphus informs us is the practice of the 
Ethiopians." Theolog. Dogmat., L. 5, ch. 1,^5. 

Venema : " The Greeks immerse the whole man in 
water." Hist. Eccles., tom, 6, p. 660. 

Dr. Wall : '' All the Christians in Asia^ all in Africa^ 
and about one-third part of Europe are of the last sort, 
(i. e., practice immersion,) in which third part of Europe 
are comprehended the Christians of Greecia, Thracia, 
Servia, Bulgaria, Rascia, Walachia, Moldavia, Russia, 
and so on ; and even the Muscovites, who, if coldness 
of country will excuse, might plead for a dispensatioa 



ESSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 147 

with the most reason of any." Hist, Inf. Bap., P. 2, 
ch. 9, p. 477. 

In the Latin church, too, immersion only was prac- 
tised. We give an example of the pope himself per- 
forming the ordinance by immersion : 

"The pope went on to the baptismal hall, and, after 
various lessons and psalms, consecrated the baptismal 
water. Then, while all were adjusting themselves in 
their proper places, his holiness retired into the adjoin- 
-ing chapel of St. John the Evangelist, attended by some 
acolothists, who took off his habits, put on him a pair 
of waxed drawers and a surplice, and then returned to 
the baptistery. There three children were waiting, 
which was the number usually baptized by the pontiff. 
Silence was ordered. When the first was presented, 
he asked, What is his name ? The attendant answered, 
John. Then he proceeded thus : John, dost thou be- 
lieve in God the Father Almighty, the creator of heaven 
and earth ? I do believe. Dost thou believe in Jesus 
Christ his only son, our Lord, who was born and suffered 
death ? I do believe. Dost thou believe in the Holy 
Ghost, the holy Catholic church, the communion of the 
saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, 
and life eternal? I do believe. John, do you desire 
to be baptized ? I do desire it. I baptize thee in the 
name of the Father, (dipping him once,) and of the Son, 
(dipping him a second time,) and of the Holy Ghost, 
(dipping him a third time.) The pontiff added : May 
you obtain eternal life. John answered. Amen. The 
same was then repeated to Peter and Mary, the other 
two. Attendants with napkins received the children, 
and retired to dress them. The attendants of his holi- 
ness threw a mantle over his surplice, and he retired. 
The rest of the catechumens were baptized by deacons, 



MS ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

who, in clean habits and without shoes, went down inta 
the water and performed the ceremony as the pontiff 
had set them an example. After all was over, and the 
children dressed, they waited on the pope in an adjacent 
room, where he confirmed them,, and delivered to each 
a chrism and a white garment,"^ Hinton^ p. 186. 

Fifthly^ lastly. The principal design of the ordinance — • 
to represent the deaths burial, and resurrection of Christ ; 
the communion his people have with him in these mo- 
mentous facts ; and their interest in the blessings thence 
resulting — is accomplished much clearer and fuller, and 
more impressively, by immersion than could be done 
in any other mode whatever. This also is abundantly 
confessed by Pedobapiists. 

Buddeus : " Immersion, which was used in former 
times, as we have before declared, was a symbol, and 
an image of the death and burial of Christ ; by which 
we are taught that the remains of sin, which are called 
the old man, should also be put to death ; that is, as 
Paul elsewhere speaks, owx fie sh, with its affections and 
lusts, should be crucified: for in that way we, as it 
were, die and are buried with Christ, w^hich Paul ex- 
pressly shows, Rom. 6 : 4. An emersion out of the 
water follows, (Matt. 3: 16,) which exhibits a most 
beautiful image of the resurrection of Christ ; and at 
the same time it affords matter of instruction concern- 
ing that spiritual resurrection which is effected by daily 
renovation." Rom. 6 : 4. Theolog. Dogmat,, L. 5, eh. 
1, ^ 5, 8. 

Witsius : " Our Lord would be baptized, that he 
might conciliate authority to the baptism of John ; thai 
he might manifest himself to be equally the head of 
those who are baptized as of those who are circumcised; 
that he has communion with both^ and cangie^ tba^t of 



ESSAY IV.j IMMERSION THE ONLY MODE. 149 

both he might make one ; that by his own example he 
might commend and sanctify our baptism equally as 
other sacraments, to which he submitted; that meu 
might not be loath to come to the baptism of the Lord, 
seeing the Lord was not backward to come to the baptism 
of a servant ; that by his baptism he might represent 
the future condition both of himself and of his follow- 
ers ; first humble, then glorious ; now mean and low, 
then glorious and exalted ; that represented by immer^ 
sion, this by emersion ; that, by the use of this sacrament, 
the promises of the covenant which was between him- 
self and the Father, might be confirmed to him con- 
cerning the entire expiation of those ofifences which he 
took on himself, the justification of those persons whom 
he represented, and concerning a glorious resurrection, 
by which he should soon emerge out of the waters of 
tribulation, Ps. 110: 7; and finally, to declare, by his 
voluntary submission to baptism, that he would not 
delay the delivering up of himself to be immersed in 
the torments of hell, yet with a certain faith and hope 
of emerging. 

" Immersion into the water is to be considered by us 
as exhibiting that dreadful abyss of divine justice in 
which Christ for our sins, which he took on himself, was 
for a time, as it were, absorbed ; as in David, his type, 
he complains, Ps. 69 : 3. More particularly, seeing 
such an immersion deprives a person of light, and of 
other things pertaining to this world, it excellently re- 
presents the death of Christ, while his continuance under 
water, however short, denotes the burial of Christ, and 
the lowest degree of humiliation ; when, being laid in a 
sepulchre that was sealed and guarded by the Roman 
soldiers, he was considered as entirely cut oflf. Emer- 
sion out of the water exhibits an image of his resurrec- 
13* 



150 KSS AYS OIC BAPTISM. 

tion, or of the victory which, being dead, he obtained 
over death in his own dark domains : that is, the grave. 
All these things the apostle intimates, Rom. 6 : 3, 4. 

" Baptism also represents those henefitSy both present 
and future, which believers obtain in Christ. Among 
the present benefits the principal is, communion with 
the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and, which 
is consequent upon il, the mortification and burial of our 
©Id, and resurrection of our new man, in virtue of the 
blood and spirit of Christ. For immersion into the 
water represents the d^ath of the old man in such a 
manner as shows that he can neither stand in judg- 
ment to our condemnation nor exercise dominion in our 
bodies, that we should obey his lusts> In respect to the 
former, the death of the old man^ pertains to our justifica- 
tion ; in regard to the latter, it belongs to our sanctifica* 
tion. The continuance under the water represents the 
burial of the body of sin, by which all hope of its revival 
k cut off; so that it shall never be able afterward either 
to condemn the elect, or to reign over them." MisceV, 
Sac, torn. 2, Exer. 15, ^63. Qecon^, Foed.y. L. 4,, cK. 
16, § 25-29. 

Estius : " The ceremony of immersion was anciently^ 
more common, as appears from the unanimous language 
of the Fathers as often as they speak about baptism ; 
and in a more expressive manner represents the death, 
burial, and resurrection of our Lord, and of us." Apud 
Knatchhul. Animad. in lib. Nov. Test.^ p. 181. 

Pictetus : " It was usual in ancient times for the whole 
body to be immersed in water ; and it must be confessed 
that such a rite most happily represented that grace by 
which our sins are, as it were, drowned, and we raised 
again from the abyss of sin." Theoh. Christ.yL. 14, ch^ 
4, §^17. 



BSSAY IV.] IMMERSION THE OPTLY MODE. 151 

Vossius : " All the particulars that we have mention- 
ed concerning the signification of baptism will appear 
with sufficient perspicuity in the rite of immersion ; but 
»ot equally so if mere sprinkling be used." Disp, de 
Bap., Disp. 3, § 10. 

I shall close this Essay with the testimony of the 
great Reformer, Dr. Luther : " The term baptism is a 
Greek word. It may be rendered a dipping, as when 
we dip something in water, that it may be entirely co- 
vered with water. And, though that custom be quite 
abolished among the generality, (for neither do they en- 
tirely dip children, but only sprinkle them with a little 
water,) nevertheless, they ought to he wholly immersed, 
and presently to be drawn out again ; for the etymology 
of the word seems to require it. The Germans call bap- 
tism tauffe, from depth, which they call tiefi in their lan» 
guage ; as if it were proper those should be deeply im- 
mersed who are baptized. And truly, if you consider 
what baptism signifies, you shall see the same thing re* 
quired : for it signifies that the old man of our nativity^ 
that is full of sins, which is entirely of flesh and blood, 
may be overwhelmed by dimne grace. The m^nyier of bap- 
tism^ therefore, should correspond to the significatiom 
of baptism, that it may show a certain and plain sign of 
it." In Dr. Du Veil on Acts 8 : 38. 

Dear reader, I ha^e nc>w endeavoured to show that 
the Scripture mode of baptism is by immersion only ^ from 
the signification of the word used to express the act of the 
ordinance ; from the places selected for the administration 
of it J and the phrases used on the occasion ; from the 
practice of the primitive church ; from the constant and 
uninterrupted mode of the Greek church ; and from the 
principal design of the institution. The objections 
against these arguments will be answered in the nexJS 



152 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Essay : and in the meantime 1 pray that the Spirit of 
truth may guide you in the right way, for his name's sake, 
Amen. 



ESSAY V. 

Objections Answered, 



1. Why do Baptists require a divine precept or 
Scripture example for infant baptism, since they admit 
females to communion, and observe the first day of the 
week as the Christian sabbath, when there is neither a 
divine precept nor Scripture example for either. 

Ariswer. ^^iih. xq^^qoHo female communion, vfehdive 
authority from the law of the institution and from the 
practice of the church. In the positive command of our 
Lord to commemorate his death in the ordinance of the 
supper, the subjects are characterized as disciples^ with- 
out any regard to sex. It is true, when the apostle 
directs the Corinthian church to a proper celebration of 
the supper, he says : " Let a man examine himself." 
1 Cor. 11 : 28. But it will not be denied that the word 
anthropos, man, includes females as well as males. 
Thus : (John 3 : 3, 4 :) " Except a man be born again, 
he cannot see the kingdom of God." 2 Cor. 5 : 17. " If 
any man (tis, any one) be in Christ, he is a new creature." 
1 Tim. 2:5. " One Mediator between God and men.*' 
Besides, the Lord's supper was celebrated by the whole 
church, which was composed of males ^nd females : for 
we read that the females as well as males, men and 
women, on their profession of faith, were baptized, were 
together with the disciples, and continued steadfastly in 
the apostle's doctrine, and in fellowship, and in breakixtg 



ESSAY V.J OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 153 

of bread, and in prayers. See Acts 1 : 13, 14 ; 2 : 42, 
44; 8: 12. 1 Cor. 10: 17. Women are spoken of 
as disciples, baptized, in the church ; all the disciples 
were in fellowship or communion ; all were together " in 
breaking of bread," &c. ; but the New Testament is 
silent on infant baptism. 

With respect to change of the sabbath from the 
seventh to the first day of the week, I would observe, 
that this change was alluded to by the prophet Isaiah, 
65 : 17, 18. " Behold, I create new heavens and a new 
earth ; and the former shall not be remembered, nor 
come into mind ; but be ye glad, and rejoice for ever in 
that which I create : for behold, I create Jerusalem a 
rejoicing, and her people a joy." " This passage," says 
Dr. Dwight, a zealous Pedobapiist, " appears to me to 
place the fact in the clearest light, that a particular, 
superior, and extraordinary commemoration of the work 
of redemption by the Christian church, in all its various 
ages, was a part of the good pleasure of God ; and was 
designed by him to be accomplished in the course of his 
providence. But there neither is, nor ever was, any 
public, solemn commemoration of this work by the 
Christian church, except that which is holden on the 
frst day of the week, or the day in which Christ 
completed this great work by his resurrection from the 
dead. This prophecy has, therefore, been unfulfilled, 
so far as I see, unless it has been fulfilled in this very 
manner." Theol, Serm., 106. 

Farther, it was predicted that the day of the resur* 
rection of the Messiah was to be a peculiar day. Ps. 
118 : 22-24. " The stone which the builders refused, 
is become the headstone of the corner : this is the Lord's 
doing ; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day 
which the Lord has made ; we will rejoice and be glai 



]54 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

in it." This prediction is applied to the Messiah in the 
New Testament oftener than any other. Matt. 21 : 42. 
Mark 12: 10. Luke 20: 17. Acts 4: 11. Eph. 2 : 20, 
and 1 Pet. 2:4. The Jewish writers also applied it to 
the Messiah. It is evident, therefore, that Jesus Christ 
is the stone here mentioned ; that he was rejected and 
set at naught by the chief priests and Pharisees ; but, 
being chosen of God, and precious to him, this most 
valuable stone, thus despised and rejected of men, thus 
thrown among the rubbish, and buried in it, was at 
length, from such a state, exalted to be the chief corner- 
stone in the building, the main support of the edifice, 
and a centre of union for Jew and Gentile, the two parts 
of which it consisted. " Of the day on which Christ 
arose from the dead," says the pious Bishop Home, " it 
may, with more propriety than of any other day, be 
affirmed, * this is the day which Jehovah hath made.' 
Then it was that the ' rejected stone ' became the ' head 
of the corner.' A morning then dawned, which is to be 
followed by no evening ; a brighter sun arose upon the 
world, which is to set no more ; a day began, which will 
never end ; and night and darkness departed, to return 
not again " Isa. 60 : 20. Hence it is called, in the 
New Testament, " the Lord's day,'' Rev. 1 : 10, i. e., a 
day consecrated and devoted to God. Numb. 6 : 27. 
1 Kings 8 : 43. Hence the apostles observed the first 
day of the week as a day sacred to God. Acts 20 : 7. 1 . 
Cor. 16:1,2. So in the New Testament we have ''the 
Lord's day'' or " the first day of the week," spoken of 
as a day observed by the disciples for religious purposes ; 
but no mention is made of infant haptism. These facts 
put the two subjects on a very difl^erent footing. 

2. It is very frequently objected, that, though we have 
no law in the New Testament for infant baptism, yet 



£SSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 155 

there is no law against it. Or, to state the objection in 
all its parts, it is said " the Jewish children were 
circumcised as a token of their interest in the covenant 
made with Abraham, and were members of the Jewish 
church ; it was, therefore, reasonable to expect that they 
would continue to be members of the Christian church, 
unless that privilege was abrogated by an express law ; 
but as there is no such law in the New Testament, 
therefore it is unjust and cruel to deprive the dear 
children of these privileges." 

I answer, yir^^, that no argument can be drawn from 
circumcision in favour of infant baptism, as has already 
been stated, (E. III., p. 89,) nor from the state of the 
Jewish children under the Mosaic dispensation, and of 
those under the Christian dispensation : for, as there 
was no visible church under the Old Testament, but a 
mere congregation, (E. IIL, p. 97,) the Jewish children 
were members of the congregation only, and so are the 
children of Christians, but not members of the Christian 
church. 

To that part of the objection, "that it is reasonable 
and desirable that children should be baptized," I reply? 
that in positive institutions we have nothing to do with 
reasonings or conjectures about the propriety or impro- 
priety, expediency or utility. A " Thus saith the Lord " 
is a sufficient and binding authority for our obedience, 
and the only rule for our direction. In addition to what 
has already been said on this subject, (Essay I.,) the 
observation of Dr, Claggett deserves our notice. In ar- 
guing against popish ceremonies, that they had neither 
Scripture precept nor example, he says: "Their con gruity 
to our reason is not the proof of their divine institution ; 
since there are very many things which, to our finite 
understandings, would appear as useful and as reason- 



156 BSSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

able, but which yet God has not instituted . When it one© 
appears what God has instituted in order to our salvation, 
and no more, we are to conclude that this is enough in 
its kind, because it is all that God has done. But for 
that other kind of arguing, that God has been wanting to 
us in his institutions, if he has not instituted (this or that,) 
and, therefore, he has instituted it, I leave to those whose 
conclusions need it ; very much desiring them to consider 
what a cause that must be which drives them to such 
bold reasonings as these are." Preserv. against Pop., 
Title 7, p. 93 The objection farther states " that, if 
children had no right to baptism, we should expect to 
meet with an express law excluding them." My answer 
is, that every affirmative command of Christ includes a 
negative. When Christ commands the baptizing of 
believers, he prohibits all others not so qualified, Nadah 
and Ahihu had no prohibition from using strange fire, 
yet they were destroyed for using that fire which the 
Lord had " not commanded." If this objection be valid, 
why do we condemn the pope and his followers for 
using the sign of the cross, the holy unction, and a thou- 
sand other superstitions ? For, though they are not 
commanded, yet they are not prohibited. The proper 
rule is, to worship God in what he has commanded, and 
in no other way ; else it is will-worship, and displeasing 
to God. 

Christ, the great Head of the church, requires certain 
qualifications of the candidate for baptism or church- 
membership ; such as illumination, conviction, repen- 
tance, and confession of sin, faith in him, becoming a 
disciple, &c. Matt. 3 : 6 ; 28 : 19. Mark 16: 16. 
John 1 : 29 ; 4 : 1. Acts 2 : 37, 38, 41 ; 8 : 36 ; 9 : 
18. (E. III., p. 99.) 

Hence it is evident that none who are ignorant of 



SrSSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. IS'? 

divine things, impenitent and unbelieving, and vi^ho are 
not disciples and followers of Christ, and who are des- 
titute of the Spirit, are proper subjects of baptism* 
Neither birth, rank, nor talent gives a title or fitness for 
this holy ordinance* John 1 : 12, 13. 

Farther, in this objection the Baptists are accused of 
" unjustly and cruelly depriving the dear children of 
their privileges." Such is my attachment to children, 
that I should be exceedingly sorry if there were even 
a shadow of truth in this accusation ; nor can I find 
any evidence to substantiate the charge. None can be 
said to be deprived of a thing which he never possessed, 
and to which he never had either title or fitness ; and 
it has been shown that infants have neither title to the 
sacred ordinance of baptism, nor fitness for it. 

3. It is objected, in the next place, that it appears 
from Scripture that the Christian church is but a con^ 
tinuation of the Jewish church. 

In addition to what has already been said on this sub^ 
ject, (E. III., p. 97,) let us examine the ground of this 
assertion. 

The late venerable Dr, Mason reasoned thus : " We 
know by experience that the church of God was in the 
world before us : so did our fathers ; so did the pre- 
vious generation ; and in this manner the historical fact 
may be deduced from the days of the apostles. The 
" church," therefore, has not been created since their 
days. Was it created then 1 No. The apostles 
found it as we found it, older than themselves. Their 
writings are full of its privileges, its ordinances, and 
other peculiarities ; but contain not a single hint of its 
originating with them. They uniformly suppose its 
prior establishment, and speak of it as having been long 

and familiarly understood. Guided by the clew which 

14 



158 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

they have put into our hands, we go back to the books 
of the prophets, and meet the same supposition there. 
We proceed with similar success through the Levitical 
law and the Sinai covenant ; we pass the age of Moses, 
and arrive at the father of the faithful. Here the clew 
runs out." Essays on the Church, p. 36. Notwithstand- 
ing the acknowledged talents of the doctor, in his rea- 
soning on this subject he was certainly mistaken. Is 
it, indeed, true that the apostles found it (^. e., the visible 
church) as we found it, older than themselves ? This is 
taking for granted the very thing in dispute. We have 
found the visible church composed of particular churches, 
each of which might give an historical account of its 
origin, when certain individuals, having satisfied each 
other that they possessed the requisite qualifications of 
church members, formed themselves into a church, and 
chose their officers, and received new members in the 
same way. But the apostles found no such visible 
church, or particular churches ; for such had no exis- 
tence under the Mosaic, Abrahamic, or Patriarchal dis- 
pensation, as has been shown above. On the day of 
Pentecost the one hundred and twenty disciples were 
the church to which the Lord added about three thou- 
sand souls ; and this numerous body of Christians were 
the church to which afterward " the Lord added daily 
such as should be saved." 

Their acquaintance with the " privileges," &c., &;c., 
no more proves the real existence of a visible church 
under the Old Testament, than the acquaintance of 
patriarchs and prophets, and other holy men of old, with 
the blessings and privileges of redemption proves the 
real existence of an incarnate Messiah and the finished 
work of redemption before their days. As they obtained 
their knowledge of things to come by types, promises, 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 159 

&c., SO did the apostles. Moreover, the Lord Jesus 
was with them for forty days after his resurrection, 
" speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of 
God,^^ or visible church. Acts 1 : 3. 

It is not denied that the Jewish nation was a ti/pe of 
the Christian church ; but the anti-type is not an identi- 
cal continuation of the type : it is separate and distinct. 
The portrait of a man is not the living man, however 
good a resemblance it may bear to him. The shadow 
is not the substance. This answer will equally overturn 
the second ground of the assertion, viz., " the Christian 
church must be a continuation of the Jewish church, 
because the names, privileges, and promises of the latter 
are given likewise to the former." Is this conclusion 
correct ? Does it follow that the anti-type is a con- 
tinuation of the type, because sonw of the things said of 
the one are also said of the other ? Is Christ a con- 
tinuation of the manna which our fathers did eat in the 
wilderness, because he calls himself the bread that 
came down from heaven ? Is the son of man a conti- 
nuation of the brazen serpent^ because he was lifted up, 
that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have 
everlasting life ? The benefits connected with the types 
were temporal ; those of the anti-type are spiritual and 
eternal. All the promises and threatenings connected 
with the Jews, as they were the natural posterity of Abra- 
ham^ and afterward formed into a national community^ 
were temporal in their nature and duration, and depended 
on certain conditions of obedience : but the very same 
promises, applied to the Christian church, are spiritual in 
their nature and eternal in their duration. The reader 
will please to attend to the language of the doctor 
himself. " The Jews," says he, " could nationally call 
God * their God/ They often did so, and with right, 



160 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

when they were gross hypocrites in the articles of their 
personal religion. The Sinai covenant constituted them 
the people of Jehovah, and him their God, as really, but 
in a widely different sense, as he was the covenant God 
of Abraham, or of Paul, for personal salvation." Essays 
on the Church, p. 44, note. 

The language of the apostle describing the Jews 
mider the metaphor of an olive tree, &c., is brought as 
another argument to prove that the Christian church is 
but a continuation of the Jewish church. Such is the 
reasoning of Dr, Mason. " The apostle tells the Gen- 
tiles," says he, " that they were ' a wild olive tree,' and 
that the Jews were ' the good olive tree :' this cannot re- 
fer to their natural state, as sinners before God, for in 
this respect there was ' no difference ;' nor to their state 
as sinners saved by grace, for from this state there is 
no excision. It can refer to nothing but their visible 
church state, i. e., to their public relation to God as a 
covenanted society." Agreed ; only let the doctor 
change the word " church " to national or congregational 
" state." The doctor proceeds to inquire : " What, then, 
was this ' good olive tree,' from which the Jewish 
branches were ' broken off,' while the Gentiles were 
^ grafted in V Evidently the visible church, organized 
under the covenant made with Abraham. There was 
no other from which the Jews could be cast off." Essays 
on the Church, p. 55. It appears very evident to me 
that it was not the " visible church," for this had then 
no existence ; but the visible state of the Jews formed 
into a peculiar nation at the foot of Mount Sinia., intrust- 
ed with the oracles of God, with public means of grace 
and regular religious instruction. Thus they were 
planted by Jehovah himself, a good olive tree, in good 
soil. Jer. 11 : 16, 17. In a similar manner the Jew- 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 161 

ish nation and its peculiar privileges are described under 
the metaphor of a vineyard, planted by the Lord : from 
this " good olive tree," i. e., from this visible state of the 
Jews, as a nation, worshipping the true and living God, 
in the enjoyment of the means of grace, which may w^ell 
be styled the " root and the fatness," many of the Jews 
were cut off, and have continued for ages destitute both 
of public and private means of religious instruction, 
while multitudes of the Gentiles were united with those 
Jews who embraced the Christian religion. The olive 
tree, or congregation of Israel, was neither plucked up 
by the root nor cut off, but only underwent a change in 
some of its branches. Since this change took place, 
the olive tree is no longer called the " congregation of 
Israel," or of the Lord, but the Christian world ; for it 
includes all that are born of Christian parents, or be- 
come proselytes, without respect to their moral charac- 
ter, just as it was with the Jewish nation. But here is 
the difference. Since the change has taken place in 
the olive tree, the King of Zion has given instructions 
to his disciples to separate themselves from the congre' 
gation, and to form themselves into a distinct society, 
called the church, and thus openly and visibly profess 
their devotedness to Christ. The venerable Dr. Scott, 
on Ps. 9 : 7, has the following paragraph : " The creator 
of the world became the God or covenant friend of 
Israel, and the nation was under especial obligation to 
devote itself to his worship and service, being taken 
peculiar care of by him, and favoured with manifold 
advantages above other nations ; they w^ere his people 
and the sheep of his pasture. Yet this was only an out- 
ward relation and privilege to most of them : the whole 
company were a kind of type of the true Israel ; and 
nations professing Christianity are, in a great measure^ 

14* 



162 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

in a similar situation. Now, in very large congregations^, 
some may be supposed to be spiritual worshippers, and 
others to be destitute of saving and sanctifying faith, 
though attending on the same means of grace." 

This sentiment perfectly agrees with my humble 
opinion, that the Jewish nation or congregation was not 
a spiritual church or kingdom, like the church or kingdom 
of Christ, but a mixture of good and bad, as our congre- 
gations are. 

4. Another objection has been often stated, and as 
often shown to be absurd. It is very seriously and 
gravely said, that " to deny that the visible church com^ 
menced in Abraham's family, is as much as to say that 
God had been for more than two thousand years without 
a visible church." But does not the very assertion of 
our brethren deny the existence of a church before Abra- 
ham 1 If, then, it was consistent with God to be with- 
out a church from Adam to Abraham, why may it not 
be equally consistent with him to be without a church 
till after the resurrection of Christ ? Dr. Mason's de^ 
scription of the state of the world before the call of Abra- 
ham is equally true after his call. " People of God," 
says the doctor, " there were ; promises of God there 
were ; gracious revelations and acceptable worship of 
God there were ; but a church of God, organized upon 
the principle of visible unity^, there was not," Essays 
on the Church, p. 37. 

How could the doctor " deny " that God had any 
church on the earth for nearly " two thousand years^^ 
i. e., from the fall to Abraham 1 

5. We proceed to the next objection, which is stated 
thus : " Unbelieving and unconverted persons have been 
received as members of the church ; why may we not 
also receive unbelieving and unconverted children ?" 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 163 

If our brethren mean that unbelieving and unconverted 
persons have crept into the church without being known, 
we should acknowledge the fact. But they tell us, Ist^ 
that " the Jewish church, though constituted by the om- 
niscient God, consisted of hypocrites, as well as of true 
worshippers ; that it embraced multitudes w^ho never 
were made partakers of saving grace :" 2d, *^ that our 
Lord told us in several parables that hypocrites and 
wicked persons must be left until the judgment day ;" 
and 3d^ we are informed " that our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who fell into no mistakes, actually did admit an uncon- 
verted man, a hypocrite, a traitor, a devil, into the num- 
ber, not only of his disciples, but even of his apostles ; 
thereby instructing his church that the secret state of 
the soul before God is not to be her rule of Judgment." 
See Buck^s Theolog. Diet., under the word church. 
Brown'' s Compend. Nat. and Rev. Religion, B. 7. Dr, 
Mason's Essays on the Church, pp. 27, 67. 

We answer : With respect to the first, it is not dis- 
puted that, under the Mosaic dispensation, the righteous 
and the wicked were equally members, and that by de- 
scent ; but they were only of the congregation of Israel, 
as nominal and real Christians are now mixed in our 
congregations ; but they were not members of the visi- 
ble church, which had then no existence, as we have 
before proved. 

With respect to the second, three parables are refer- 
red to. The first is that of the tares and the wheat ; 
Matt. 13. Our Lord^s design in this parable is, to guard 
his disciples against persecuting those who would not 
believe their preaching ; to warn them not to make use 
of destructive weapons to make men to become their dis- 
ciples — the way in which false religion has always been 
propagated. Their duty was to preach the gospel in 



164 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the world as we do in our respective congregations, and 
leave the result of men's believing or not believing with 
God. This parable has nothing to do with church dis- 
cipline ; for, in the first place, our blessed Lord him- 
self has told us that " the field is the world.^' It is 
strange, indeed, that any should dare to contradict the 
Saviour, and say the " field is the churchT Secondly ; 
If the " field " were the church, an end would then be 
put to all church discipUne ; for of what benefit would 
it be to ascertain whether a member has acted right or 
wrong, when we are told that the wicked must remain 
with the good 1 Thirdly ; This parable of our Lord 
would be in plain contradiction to his directions given 
in Matt. 18 : 15-17 ; that the church is to treat an im- 
penitent member as a heathen man and a publican. To 
this it is objected, that the disciples knew that our Lord's 
kingdom is spiritual ; that they had no idea of interfer- 
ing with civil society ; that, to cut off unbelievers, they 
knew would destroy the world ; and that the reason as- 
signed for letting the tares grow up together with the 
wheat, is our liability of considering a person to be a 
tare when he is a wheat. To this we answer, first ; It 
is very evident that the disciples had no clear ideas of 
a spiritual kingdom till after the resurrection of Christ. 
Luke, 24 : 21. Acts 1 : 6. Secondly ; The caution of 
our Lord was very necessary, for the disciples manifest- 
ed a spirit of persecution, saying, " Lord, wilt thou that 
we command fire to come down from heaven, and con- 
sume them V Luke 9 : 54. Thirdly ; It is true that, 
in all proceedings of church discipline, we ought to lean 
on the side of mercy, and never cut ofif a member till 
satisfactory evidence have proved him to be unworthy 
of membership : but in the parable there is no doubt in 
the matter ; the servants declared positively that there 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 165 

were tares among the wheat, and expressed their sur- 
prise how they came there. Nor did the Lord say, '' be 
careful, ye may be mistaken :" on the contrary, he con- 
firmed their declaration that there were tares, and that 
the wicked one was the author of them ; still he directed 
his disciples not to cut off these wicked men out of the 
world, lest they should cutoff the wheat also. " Destroy 
it not, for a blessing is in it." Isa. 65 : 8. 

The next parables referred to are the " net " and the 
" ten virgins,''^ Matt, chaps. 13 and 25. I have no ob- 
jection to apply these parables to the church ; and they 
teach us that the church visible is not perfect ; for there 
may be hypocrites in it, and we may not know the fact ; 
as the fisherman does not know what kinds of fish are 
in his net till it is brought to shore, nor were the five 
foolish virgins known till after the bridegroom had ar- 
rived. But as soon as the fisherman finds out the bad 
fish, he throws them away ; and as soon as a hypocrite 
is found out and proved to be such, he is to be put out 
of the church by the brethren. And hypocritical pro- 
fessors, if their hypocricy be not discovered in the pre- 
sent life, when Christ shall appear in judgment, will be 
excluded from the kingdom of heaven. 

We proceed to the third objection, viz. : That " our 
Lord Jesus Christ admitted Judas — a devil," &c. 

It is true that our blessed Lord for wise reasons, 
employed Judas as well as the other disciples and 
apostles ; but what has that to do with the church ? 
The visible church had no existence at that time ; Judas 
could not, therefore, have been a member of it. Farther, 
if our Lord and Saviour had really received Judas as a 
member of the church, instead of thereby teaching his 
church that the real state of the soul before God is not 
to be her rule of judgment, and that this state is not to 



166 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

be judged of by men according to the best existing 
evidence ; but that every applicant is to be admitted, 
irrespective of his character, he would have taught her 
to admit an unconverted man, a hypocrite, a traitor, a 
devil, under a full knowledge of his character. I cannot 
refrain myself from expressing my mind fully on this 
subject, viz., that whoever asserts that our Lord and 
Saviour, who could not fall into mistakes, actually 
admitted Judas as an example for the conduct of the 
church, " betrays something very different from modesty, 
by setting up a term of religious fellowship which would 
convict the master himself of corrupting his own 
church." 

6. Another objection is, that the covenant made with 
Abraham is still in force ; that it has never been abro- 
gated ; that it is called an everlasting covenant ; and that 
he is the father of the believing Gentiles as well as of 
the believing Jews. 

We have already stated that the covenant made with 
Abraham must be either the covenant of grace or the 
covenant of circumcision. That the covenant of grace 
is still in force, and that with respect to this covenant 
Abraham is the father of believing Gentiles as well as 
believing Jews, none does deny. Neither do I deny 
that the covenant of circumcision is still in force. But 
with whom ? not with the believing or unbelieving 
Gentiles, but with the natural descendants of Abraham. 
God is still the God of Abraham and of his natural seed 
in a peculiar sense : to them the land of Canaan still 
belongs, as much as it did while they were slaves in 
Egypt or captives in Babylon ; and he who has been 
their deliverer in times past, will deliver them again, and 
bring them as an unconverted nation to the land of 
promise ; and, till then, they will circumcise their chil« 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 167 

dren as a token of the existence of that covenant. But 
all this has no more to do with the baptism, either of 
adults or infants, than the rainbow, a token of the cove- 
nant made with Noah. 

Having answered the objections generally brought 
against the Baptist view of the subjects of baptism, we 
proceed to consider those against immersion. 

7. It is objected that John's baptism is a mere imi- 
tation or continuation of proselyte or Jewish baptism. 

To this objection we answer, as it respects Jewish 
washing or purification, it is evident that John's baptism 
was entirely different, both in nature and design. The 
unclean among the Jews, whether male or female, 
immersed or bathed themselves ; but John's hearers were 
baptized or immersed by him. John required fruits of 
repentance, and directed faith in Christ before he bap- 
tized ; but none of these were required in the purifications 
of legal impurity. As for proselyte baptism, we have 
no account of such a ceremony either in the Old or 
New Testament, nor in the Apocrypha, nor by Josephus 
or Philo. " That the Jews long since caused those 
whom they received as proselytes to wash themselves 
by dipping, and that infants, who could not do it them- 
selves, were thus washed by others, seems, from the 
testimony of their Rabbins, to have been the fact. Nor 
have we any interest in either affirming or denying it. 
We are certain, however, that it was not done by divine 
authority. For, 1. it was not required by the law 
respecting proselytes, which reads thus : ' when a stran- 
ger will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males 
be circumcised ;' and then, what 1 Be baptized ? No ; 
but, without any intervening ceremony, * let him come 
near, and, with all his circumcised household, keep it. 
One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto 



168 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the stranger.' Exod. 12 : 48, 49. 2. In all the Old 
Testament we find not a single instance of a proselyte 
baptized preparatory to admission among the Jews. 3. 
In the days of the apostles some who were proselytes 
to the Jewish religion — as, for instance, the Eunuch and 
Cornelius^ and bid as fair as any to have been proselytes 
of righteousness, and so to have received proselyte 
baptism, if such a rite then existed among the Jews — : 
nevertheless received Christian baptism ; which shows 
that the administrators in those cases either knew of no 
such thing as proselyte baptism, or that they did not 
consider Christian baptism to be the same continued ; 
for otherwise they must have practised anabaptism. 

" The whole amount, therefore, of the pompous parade 
of quotations made by the learned doctors to prove from 
Rabbinical writings that the Jews practised proselyte 
baptism, is neither more nor less than conclusive evi- 
dence that the Jews, in that article, as in many others, 
departed from the written and followed the oral law, 
"which, although they profess to have received it from 
God, is believed throughout Christendom to consist 
only of the traditions of their elders. Mark 7 : 6-9. 
And what better is Dr. WaWs history of infant baptism ? 
He proves, not by quotations from Scripture, but from 
the men called the fathers, from the records of counsels, 
and from ecclesiastical creeds, that, not in the times of the 
apostles, but some time after the public appearance of 
that mystery of iniquity, which even in the apostle's days 
began to work — he proves, w^e say, that then infaiit bap- 
tism, and, in process of time, infant sprinklingy came into 
use. This, in our opinion, is all of which that famous 
history furnishes certain evidence. And thus, as Rabbi 
Maimonides proves the Jews to have departed from pn- 
mitive Judaism, Dr, Wall proves the Pedobaptists to 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 169 

have departed from primitive Christianity ^ W, Par" 
kinson, Circular Letter. 

John's bapeism was a perfectly new institution. He 
was the first administrator of it, and was, therefore, by 
way of emphasis, called " John the Baptist ;" and his 
baptism " the baptism of John,^^ Had this ceremony 
been in use before, why should this name have been 
given to him more than to any other ? If John had 
administered the sacred ordinance in the modern fashion, 
by sprinkling, it would be unaccountable Avhy they 
should call him " Baptist,"^^ the immerser^ and not 
" Rantist,'^ the sprinkler ! How strange it would sound 
to our ears had the translators informed us that *' in. 
those days came John the sprinkler !" Rather than 
acting thus ridiculously as well as unfaithfully, they 
complied with the rule prescribed, not to translate it at 
all, as has been shown above. In the Jewish writings 
and common conversation he is never called otherwise 
than " John the immerser," Jochenan Hammittavbail ; 
for the word Taval is never used in any other sense, 
either in the bible or in their writings, than for immer- 
sing, dipping, or plunging. 

Again, why should it have excited such attention 
among the people, if not a new custom 1 Or why should 
they ask him, " why baptizest thou ?" And when Christ 
asked whether John's baptism was from heaven or of 
men, why did they not answer that it was an old custom, 
received of men 1 Besides, John's baptism is called 
" the counsel of God ;" Luke 7 : 29, 30 : but if it had 
been a mere imitation of proselyte baptism, it could not 
have been thus denominated ; but should have been 
styled " the counsel or device of men." Farther, John 
was so far from imitating the Jews, we are expressly 

told, that he baptized by a special command of God. 

15 



170 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

John 1 : 6, 33. " There was a man sent from God, 
whose name was John ; he that sent me to baptize with 
water, &c." 

There was also a striking similarity between John's 
baptism and that of the apostles. Did he require repen- 
tance and faith, so did they. Matt. 3 : 6-8. Mark 1 : 
4. Acts 2: 38. Mark 16: 16. Acts 8: 36, 37. 
Did he baptize by immersion, so did they. Matt. 3:6, 
16. John 3: 23. Acts 8 : 38,39. Did he baptize 
by divine authority, so did they. John 1 : 6, 33. Matt. 
28: 19. Mark 16 : 15. Did he baptize for the remis- 
sion of sins, so did they. Mark 1 : 4. Acts 2 : 38. 

Dear reader, attend to the testimony of some eminent 
Pedobaptists. 

The learned Venema says : " Part of John's office 
consisted in baptizing ; an external rite, then in a par- 
ticular manner appointed of God, and not used before. 
John 1. Matt. 22." Hist. Eccl, tom. 3, Secul. 1, § 5. 

The judicious Mr. Jennings, after stating the argu- 
ments pro and con, says : " Upon the whole, it is more 
likely the Jews took the hint of proselyte baptism after 
our Saviour^s time, than that he borrowed baptism from 
theirs ; which, whenever it came into practice, was one 
of those additions to the law of God which he severely 
censures. There wants more evidence of its being as 
ancient as our Saviour's time than I apprehend can be 
produced, to ground any argument upon it in relation to 
Christian baptism." Jewish Ant., B. 1, ch. 3, vol. 1, pp. 
135, 138. 

Deylingius : " The baptism of proselytes, in our 
opinion, seems to have been received by the Jews after 
the time of John the Baptist ; (the Jews) being very 
much influenced by his authority, and greatly admiring 
him. Certainly it cannot be proved by any substantial 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 171 

testimony that it was in use among the Jews before the 
time of John. There is also a great difference between 
the baptism of John and that of proselytes, as the latter 
is described in the monuments of the ancient Hebrews : 
for the Jewish baptism was a rite of human institution ; 
but John the Baptist introduced his by the command of 
God. The baptism of proselytes was a civil rite, per- 
taining only to the political court, diS Campegius Vitringa 
shows in his Archi-Synagogus, p. 400. But the baptism 
of John and Christ is peculiar to the Christian church, 
and is the means of conferring spiritual benefits." 
Obser, Sacra., Part 3, obser. 26, pp. 197, 198. 

/. G, Carpzovius : " We cannot be persuaded that 
the baptism of proselytes was prior to the baptism of 
John and of Christ ; partly because of the reasons pro- 
duced by that very great man, Wernsdorjius ; but prin- 
cipally because there is a want of sufficient witnesses 
that the rite was used among the Jews of that time : 
for the testimonies produced are either from a following 
ago, or of doubtful interpretation, and applied contrary to 
the design of their authors, as a bare inspection of them 
will show. The subject being examined with accuracy, 
it will appear that for an article of such weight, a rite 
0^ such great necessity, to have been involved in silence 
for so many ages, without any urgent reason, exceeds 
all probability. But supposing, though we do not admit, 
that the bathing of the proselytes was in use when the 
new dispensation commenced, yet it remains firm and 
certain that the sacrament of baptism has nothing an- 
swerable to the baptism of proselytes ; nor was it de- 
rived from that rite, but was immediately appointed of 
God. For as John was immediately sent of God to 
baptize, (John 1 : 33. Luke 3 : 2,) so Christ intro- 
duced the ordinance of baptism ; not from that of the 



172 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Rabbles for the admission of proselytes, but from the 
most wise counsel of God, from the bosom of the Fa- 
ther." John 1 : 18. Matt. 28: 19. Apparat. Hist. 
Crit. AntL Sac. Annotat., pp. 49, 50. 
I cannot omit the sentiment of the pious 
Dr. Owen : " The celebrated Selden has endeavoured 
to prove that Christ borrowed the rite of baptism from 
that which was then in use among the Jews. Others do 
the same. Learned men teach, and confidently affirm, 
that a proselyte of righteousness was never made, though 
circumcised, without being baptized. But, that any one 
should be made the partaker of all the privileges of that 
church, there was need only of circumcision, as express 
testimonies of the Holy Scriptures teach ; for so the law 
runs, Exod. 12 : 48, concerning the Rabbinical baptism 
not a tittle. The institution of the rite of baptism is 
nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament. There is 
no example of it in those ancient records ; nor was it 
ever used in the admission of proselytes while the Jew- 
ish church continued. No mention of it occurs in 
Philo, in Josephus, in Jesus, the son of Sirach, nor in the 
Evangelical history. This Rabbinical opinion, therefore, 
owes its rise to the Tannerae, or Anti-Mishnical doctors, 
after the destruction of their city. The opinion of some 
learned men, therefore, about the transferring of a Jew- 
ish baptismal rite, (which, in reality, did not exist,) by 
the Lord Jesus for the use of his disciples, is destitute 
of all prohahilityP Theolog., L. 5, Digr. 4, p. 425. 
Heb., vol. 1, Exercit. 19, p. 272. Orig. Nat. of 
Churches, pp. 36, 39. Such is the testimony of Pedo- 
baptists that John's baptism is from heaven, and not 
from the Jews : and is, therefore, a proper pattern for 
our imitation. 

Having lately seen the opinion of the Rev. Dr. Grif 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 173 

Jin^ President of William's College, " that John's baptism 
did not belong to the New Testament dispensation," 
(see American Bapt, Mag., May, 1829, p. 291,) I beg 
leave to refer him, for a refutation, to the elaborate work 
*' on the Religious Principles of Quakers," pp. 225, 258, 
by my much esteemed friend, the Rev. W. C. Brownlee, 
a Doctor of Divinity of the Dutch Reformed church. 
Speaking of baptism, he says : '' The origin of this 
institution is not to be traced to the sprinklings in the 
Jewish church. It began under the ministry of John 
the Baptist ; and he belonged not to the dispensation of 
the Old Testament, but to that of the New, See Mark 
1 : 1,2. He announced the high authority under which 
he acted. God ^ sent me to baptize.^ 'The Word of 
God came unto John.^ But Christ and his " disciples 
made and baptized more disciples than John,' even in 
the life-time of the Baptist. John 3: 22 ; 4: 1, 2. 
Can we venture to suppose the disciples did take on 
them to baptize without a commission from our Lord ? 
Is it conceivable that our Lord would permit it without 
a rebuke ? Is it conceivable that he would permit his 
own servants to intrude on his house an institution 
that never received his sanction ? No, never. They 
practised it under his eye. * He made and baptized 
disciples ' by them. He gave, therefore, in most un- 
equivocal terms, his sanction to this ordinance. He 
sealed it with the seal of heaven. Nothing but sheer 
prejudice of sectarism can repel the evidence of its 
divine origin, thus spread over the first pages of the 
gospel. 

" When our Lord met his disciples previous to his 
departure to glory, he extended their commission. See 
Matt. 28 : 19,20. It is evident that he extends the 
commission to the pastors who should in continuous suc- 

15* 



174 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

cession officiate in his house. It was only by a suc- 
cession of pastors that all nations could be taught and 
baptized. 

** It is merely trifling on solemn matters to say (and 
yet Barclay, their measure and rule of Orthodoxy, does 
say it) tKat there is no mention of ' water ' in that 
commission of our Lord to us. When * John was sent 
to baptize,' there was no * mention of water.' But his 
practice was a plain comment on a very plain term. 
The point needs no laboured arguments, no profound 
dissertations. We appeal to the vocabulary and the 
lexicon for the meaning of the term. We have the 
literal meaning of it fixed, by all Greece to support. If 
any other baptism had been intended by our Lord, the 
intentional departure from the common acceptation of the 
■word would have been frankly and honestly stated. 
Besides, the baptism of Christ's disciples was the same 
as the baptism of John, And John baptized with water." 

Here the doctor hath the following note : *' The 
denying of this would not materially afi^ect my argument ; 
yet I must say a few words in support of the identity of 
these baptisms. The baptism of John and the baptism 
of Christ were the same in their divine origin ; and the 
same as it respects the element and the mode of apply- 
ing it. In both the parties baptized did profess their 
faith in Christ, Acts 19:4; and also their repentance, 
Luke 3 : 3. The baptism of John was the baptism of 
the gospel. It was in practice after ' the be^jinning of 
the gospel,' Mark 1:1. It testified of Christ actually 
come. The prophets prophesied, and the ceremonial 
law was in force until John, Matt. 11 : 13. In him they 
were fulfilled ; and in him of course the shadows ceased. 
Hence it is obvious that John's baptism was a New Tes- 
tament rite. But the baptism of the New Testament 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 175 

* is one,' Eph. 4 : 5 ; therefore the baptism of John 
and of Christ are the same. Some critics have con- 
ceived that they have discovered proofs of John's dis- 
ciples hdiving again been baptized. But there is no 
evidence of this in the New Testament. In Acts 19 : 
1-6, the inquiry which St. Paul made of the disciples 
was not whether they were baptized, but whether * they 
had received the Holy Ghost' i. e., in his miraculous 
gifts, since they believed. Water baptism was not the 
subject of the conference ; and, upon hearing their an- 
swer, that ' they had not so much as heard of the outpour^ 
ing of the Holy Ghost,' Paul laid his hands upon them, 
and the Holy Ghost came upont hem. The fifth verse 
is not a part of the narrative of St. Luke : it is the con- 
tinuation of St. Paul's address, and what his disciples did. 

* When they' the disciples of John, ' heard this' i. e., 
John's doctrine respecting Christ, ' they were baptized,^ 
i. e., by John, * in the name of Christ.' This is the 
opinion of the ablest critics and fathers of the reforma- 
tion. Turrettine on the identity of the two baptisms, vol. 
3, p. 444. Ber. de Moore, vol. 5, pp. 396-402. Vol. 
6, p. 802 ; and on the last point see Tur,, 3, p. 448. 
Beza, Marnixius, Coccius, &c. J. Mark, Medul. and 
Comp. in B. de Moore, vol. 5, p. 401, &c., who gives 
Mark's four arguments against the anabaptism of John's 
disciples. 

Dilemma 1. "If the baptism of John was not the 
baptism of the New Testament, then our Lord was not 
baptized ; and hence he wanted that toward the New 
Testament church which, by circumcision, he had to- 
ward the Old Testament church. 

2. " Hence the argumentof St. Paul is evaded ^ one 
Lord, one faith, one baptism.' Our Lord had not on^ 



176 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

of the bonds of union and communion said here to exist 
between each saint and himself. 

3. *' Hence there can be no meaning in our Lord's 
words when he came to be baptized. If not of the New 
Testament, it could not be a part of his righteousness 
to be fulfilled." See also Dr. Lightfoot, vol. l,p. 467. 

I thank the doctor for this conclusive argument to 
prove the identity of the baptisms of John and our Lord. 
And I am equally pleased with his argument to prove 
that John's baptism was water baptism, although the 
word " water^^ was not mentioned ; and I cannot but 
hope the doctor will perceive that the same argument 
which proves this, proves also the identity of the mode ; 
for to say that John administered the sacred ordinance 
in any other way than by immersion, would be " mere 
trifling on solemn matters ;" for " his practice was a 
plain comment on a very plain term. The point needs 
no laboured argument, no profound dissertation. We 
appeal to the vocabulary and the lexicon for the mean- 
ing of the term. We have the literal meaning of it fixed, 
by all Greece to support us. If any other baptism " or 
mode " had been intended by our Lord, the intentional 
departure from the common acceptation of the word 
would have been frankly and honestly stated. Besides, 
the baptism of Christ's disciples was the same as the 
baptism of John." And John immersed. 

8. The next objection is, that the word baptizo sig- 
nifies to wash as well as to immerse ; and, for proof, an 
appeal is made to Mark 7 : 2-8, where the washing of 
hands, cups, &c., &c., is mentioned. But no argument 
can be taken from this passage in favour of any other 
mode than immersion. Every Jew knows that whatever 
is to be purified by water, whether cups, tables, beds, 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 177 

&c., it must be by immersion. " And upon whatsoever 
any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be 
unclean ; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, 
or skin, or ;ack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any 
work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be 
unclean until the even ; so it shall be cleansed." Lev. 
11 : 32. It is the unanimous declaration of the Rab- 
bins, " That wheresoever in the law washing of the 
flesh or of the clothes is mentioned, it means nothing 
else but the dipping of the whole body in water ; for 
if any man wash himself all over, except the top of his 
little finger, he is still in his uncleanness." 

Maimonides : " Whenever in the law washing of the 
flesh or of the clothes is mentioned, it means nothing 
else than the dipping of the whole body in a laver ; for 
if any man dips himself all over, except the tip of his 
little finger, he is still in his uncleanness." Hilchoth 
Mikva., ch. 1, ^ 2. Again : ** A bed that is wholly 
defiled, if he dips it part by part, it is pure. If he dips 
the bed in the pool, although the feet are plunged in the 
thick clay at the bottom of the pool, it is clean. What 
shall he do with a pillow or a bolster of skin ? He must 
dip them and lift them up by the fingers." Hilchoth 
Cailim, ch. 16, § 14. Notwithstanding the testimony 
of this most learned and judicious Jewish Rabbi, yet Dr. 
Wardlaw says, with respect to the immersion of beds : 
** He who can receive it, let him receive it." Mr, Car- 
son justly replies : " He who dares reject it, rejects the 
testimony of God." Again he says : " If immersion is 
the meaning of the word, it is not optional to receive or 
reject it ; whether or not this is the meaning, must be 
learned from its history, not from the abstract probability 
or improbability of the immersion of beds. If the his- 
tory of the word declares its meaning to be immersion, 



178 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the mere difficulty of immersing bedsy in conformity to a 
religious tradition ^ cannot imply that it has another mean- 
ing here. The principle, then, of this objection, and 
the language in which these writers state it, cannot be 
too strongly reprobated. If adopted on other questions 
respecting the will of God, it tends to set us loose from 
the authority of his word." Carson, p. 108. 

Scaliger, speaking of the Jews' customs, says : " The 
more superstitious part of them, every day, before they 
sat down to meat, dipped the whole body. Hence the 
Pharisee's admiration of Christ; Luke, 11 : 38." De 
Emend. Temp., L. 6, p. 771. As strange as such a 
custom may appear in Europe and America, yet it may 
be seen daily in the east. " Why should it be thought 
incredible," observes Mr. Carson, " that the Pharisees 
immersed themselves after market 1 If an Egyptian, on 
touching a swine, would run to the river and plunge in 
with his clothes, is it strange that superstitious Phari- 
sees should immerse themselves after the pollution of 
the market ?" Besides, the learned Dr. Gale observes, 
that " all the versions in the Polyglot, except those of 
Montanus, and the vulgar Latin, to suit the Syriac, Ara- 
bic, Ethiopic, and Persic, unanimously understand the 
words in a sense quite different from what has been 
hitherto mentioned ; that is, they all take the meaning to 
be, not that the Jews washed themselves or their hands 
when they came from the market, but that the herbs, for 
instance, and other things they bought there, were first 
to be washed, before they could be eaten. Thus they 
translate the place : and what they buy in the market^ 
unless it be washed^ they eat not. It must be owned, the 
Greek is capable of this sense." Hinton on Bap , p. 34. 

Nor does the original word baptizontais,\gx\\^y to wash, 
except by immersion ; for it is from baptize, not from 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 171 

louo. Moreover, it is not to be overlooked, that the word 
haptizo is never used in the New Testament to signify 
the washing of hands : a very different word is always 
used for this purpose, viz., the word nipto. In the case 
under review, this word is employed in the 2d and 3d 
verses as follows : " And when they saw some of his dis- 
ciples eat bread with defiled (that is to say, with unwash- 
en aniptois) hands, they found fault : for the Phari- 
sees, and all the Jews, except they wash {nipzontai) 
their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the el- 
ders." The historian then proceeds in the 4th verse to 
state another and very different fact : " And vjhen they 
come from the market^ except they washj {haptizontai^ 
immerse themselves^) they eat not."^^ '^ I claim not only," 
says Mr, Hinton, " that the term {ebaptisthe) may he 
translated immerse^ but that in both cases (Mark 7 : 4. 
Luke ] 1 : 38) it ought so to have been translated ; 
rendering the word otherwise is contrary to the plain 
rule, that, the ordinary meaning of a v)ord being established^ 
it is not to be changed without absolute necessity requires 
it ; and where is any kind of necessity in these cases 1" 
Hinton on Bap., ip. 33. 

The historian relates two distinct customs of the Je ws : 
1. That they never ate until they had washed {nipto) 
their hands. 2. That on one special occasion, viz., 
" when they had been to the market,^^ where they mingled 
with Gentiles, whose touch they considered polluting, 
they always immersed themselves {baptizontai) before 
they took food. Not knowing what part of the body 
had come in contact with a polluting Gentile, the Jew 
thought it necessary to baptize or immerse himself, that 
he might be certain of being cleansed. Every family 
that could afford it, was furnished with a bath. I 
appeal to my Jewish brethren and to the learned reader 



180 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

for the correctness of this statement. " Many of the 
most learned Pedobaptist writers," says Mr. Hinton, 
" and their best biblical critics, are of opinion that two 
sorts of washing of hands are referred to ; one by pouring 
water on them, (nipzontai,) the other by dipping, (hapti- 
zontia.) Professor Ripley, in his reply, quotes John's 
biblical Archaeology^ RosenmvUer, Kuinsel^ Spencer^ 
Lightfootj and Dr. G. Campbell^ to that effect. I give 
the testimony of the latter : ' For illustrating this pas- 
sage, let it be observed, first, that the two verbs render- 
ed wash in the English translation are different in the 
original. The first is nipzontai, properly translated 
wash ; the second is haptizontai, which limits us to a 
particular mode of washing ; for haptizo denotes to 
plunge or dip!' Accordingly, Dr. Campbell translates the 
passage, * For the Pharisees eat not until they have 
washed their hands, by pouring a little water upon them ; 
and, if they be come from the market, by dipping them.' " 
Hinton, p. 35. 

It deserves our notice, that in the prophet's direction 
to Naaman, (2 Kings, 5 : 10, 14,) the Hebrew word 
rachatz, to wash, is used, and accordingly the Septuagint 
translators used the corresponding word louo, to wash ; 
but when Naaman complied with the direction, the He- 
brew word taval, to immerse, is used, and the seventy 
translators used the Greek word baptizo, to immerse, or, 
as the English version, *' to dip.^^ Much has been said 
on both sides of the question respecting the rachatz, to 
wash, used by the prophet, and the word taval, to dip, 
used by Naaman ; but the following remarks of the lejfirn- 
ed Mr. Carson I conceive the most conclusive and satis- 
factory : " The word," says he, " occurs in the Greek 
translation of the Old Testament, and is faithfully ren- 
dered dip in our version, (2 Kings, 5: 14;) * Naaman 



^S:§AV v.] OBJECTIONS ANsWer£D. I8l 

went down and dipped himself (ebaptisato) seven times 
in Jordan.' Here bathing in a river is called baptism. 
What more do we want, then, to teach us the mode of 
this ordinance of Christ ? If there was not another 
passage of Scripture to throw light on the institution, as 
far as respects mode, is not this, to every teachable mind, 
perfectly sufficient ? But it seems we are crying vie*- 
tory before the field is won. This passage, which we 
think so decisive, has a far different aspect to others. 
On the contrary, it is made to afford evidence against us. 
Well, this is strange indeed ; but ingenuity has many- 
shifts. Let us see how artifice can involve the passage 
in a cloud. Nothing is more easy : does not the pro- 
phet command Naaman to wash ; if, then, he obeyed 
his command by baptizing himself, baptizing must signify 
washing. For the sake of argument, I will grant this 
reasoning for a moment. If, then, this is so, go, my 
brethren, and wash the person to be baptized, as you 
think Naaman washed himself from head to foot. This 
will show that you respect the example. In whatever 
way the water was applied to Naaman, he was bathed 
all over. If the word signifies to wash the whole body^ 
who but the pope himself would take on him to substi- 
tute the sprinkling of a few drops in the place of this 
universal washing? 

But I do not admit the reasoning that, from this pas-^ 
sage, concludes that baptizo signifies to wash, although 
no instance can be produced more plausible in favour of 
that opinion. This passage is a complete illustration of 
my canon. The two words louo and baptizo are here 
used interchangeably, yet they are not of the same signi- 
fication. Not of the same signification ? it may be asked, 
with surprise. Elisha commands him to wash ; he 
obeys by baptizing himself; must not baptizing, ih^v^^ be 

16 



182 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

washing ? I think none of my opponents will wish a 
stronger statement of their objection than I have made 
for them. But my doctrine remains uninjured by the 
assauh. The true philologist will not find the smallest 
difficulty in reconciling this passage to it. The words 
louo and baptizo have their own peculiar meanings even 
here, as well as everywhere else, without the smallest 
confusion. To baptize is not to wash ; but to baptize 
in a river or in any pure water implies washing, and 
may be used for it in certain situations. If Naaman 
dipped himself in Jordan, he was washed. It comes to 
the same thing, w^hether a physician says, bathe yourself 
evsery morning in the sea, or dip yourself every morning in 
the sea, yet the words bathe and dip do not signify the 
same thing. We see, then, that we can make the very 
same use of our modern word dip that the Greeks made 
of their word baptizo. No man who understands Eng- 
lish, will say that the word dip and the word bathe 
signify the same thing, yet in certain situations they 
may be used indifferently. Persons at a bath may ask 
each other, did you dip this morning ? or did you bathe 
this morning ? To dip may apply to defiling, or any- 
thing, as well as to washing : it expresses no more than 
the mode. It is the situation in which it stands and the 
word with which it is construed that determine the 
object of the application of the mode. To dip in pure 
water is to wash ; to dip in colouring water is to dye ; 
to dip into mire is to defile. None of these ideas, how- 
ever, are in the word dip itself. No word could deter- 
mine mode, according to the principles of criticism 
employed by writers on this subject." Carson^ pp. 81, 
2, 6-8. 

Nor is there any more force in the other passage on 
which the objection is raised, namely, (Heb. 9 : 10,) 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 183 

** Divert washings, immersionsP Our translators should 
have used the word immersions, or dippings, which 
would have expressed both the true meaning of the 
original word baptismois, and the design of the apostle, 
who alluded to the purifications by water, which were 
all by immersion, as we have seen. Under the law 
there were different immersions of persons and things, 
and the same persons were immersed on different occa- 
sions. The baptisms of the Old Testament were in 
many respects different ; but all were identical in 
mode. Why, then, may not the baptism in this place be 
immersion ? It i« bare assertion to say " that the apos- 
tle proceeds to illustrate his observation by mentioning 
divers sprinklings, plainly proving that sprinkling was 
baptism.^' He mentions in th« following verses the 
sprinkling of the unclean, but he does not say this was 
baptism. Some of the purifications under the law were 
by sprinkling, others by immersion in water ; but these 
are never represented as the same. In the ceremonial 
service to which the apostle alludes in ver. 13, we find 
two distinct and separate parts ; the blood of bulls and 
of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the un- 
clean ; and the bathing or immersion of the person in 
water. Divers or different baptisms or immersions is 
the proper import of the text. See Numb. 19 : 7, 8. 

That the washing of cups, (fee, means nothing less 
than immersion or dipping, is confessed by many of our 
most learned Pedobaptist friends. 

Eras. Schmidius : " Baptein is to dye, to immerse in 
water ; also to wash, or io immerse for the sake of wash- 
ing or cleansing." Annot, on Matt. 3 : 6. 

Minter : " Baptize, to baptize ; properly, indeed, it 
signifies to plunge, to immerse, to dip into water ; but 
because it is common to plunge or dip a thing, that it 



184 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

may be washed, hence also it signifies to wash, to wash 
away. Baptismois, baptism, immersion, dipping into, 
washing, washing away ; properly, and according to 
its etymology, it denotes that washing which is perform- 
ed by immersion." 

Dr. Hammond : " The word here used, baptizesthaiy 
(as it differs from nipiesthai, verse 3,) signifies not only 
the washing of the whole body, (as, when it is said of 
Eupolis, that, being taken and thrown into the sea, bap-^ 
tizeto, he was immersed all over; and so the baptisms of 
cups, &;c., in the end of this verse, is putting into water 
all over, rinsing them,) but washing any part as that is 
opposed to affusion J or pouring water on them." Annot. 
on Mark 12 : 4. 

9. It is farther objected that the word Baptizein 
cannot always mean immersion, " for it is incredible 
that the 3000 converted on the day of Pentecost could 
have been baptized on the same day by immersion/' 
In answer to this objection, I would observe that, if there 
be any difficulty, it is as much (if not more) against the 
theory and practice of our opponents as against immer- 
sion. 

Our brethren have repeatedly told us that the children 
of converts were baptized, together with their parents. 
This must have greatly increased the number to be 
sprinkled, and, consequently, makes the account more 
incredible. But let us suppose that there appears really 
something incredible, that so large a number should be 
baptized in one day ; yet, if it be once proved that to 
baptize means to immerse, will this apparent difficulty 
justify us in charging the apostles with changing the 
mode pointed out to them by their Lord and Master, 
from immersion to sprinkling ? Surely not. Moses 
informs us, concerning our father Abraham, " that he 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 185 

took Ishmael, his son, and all that were born in his 
house, and all that were bought with his money, every 
male among the men of Abraham's house, and circum- 
cised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day as 
God had said unto him." Genesis 17 : 23. Now, is 
there nothing incredible in this account of the inspired 
liistorian 1 The mere act of circumcising and carefully 
binding up the wound of one individual (without the 
ceremonies used at present by the descendants of Abra- 
ham) would require more tiaie than the immersion of 
ten persons. Yet Abraham had to circumcise more 
than 400 of his household, (see Gen. 14 : 14 ; his trained 
servants, born in his own house, were 318,) which 
would require at least as much time as the immersion 
oi four thousand ; especially when we call to remem- 
brance that Abraham was now at the advanced age of 
ninety-nine years. Notwithstanding all these difficul- 
ties, and others that might be conjectured, what son of 
Abraham did ever question the truth of the statement, 
or ever suggest the idea that *' it is a thing incredible 
that Abraham could have circumcised so many in one 
day, and, therefore, circumcision could not mean cir- 
cumcision, but must signify a mere incision in the flesh, 
no matter on what part of the body it be performed." 
Among all the absurdities of the Rabbins, this absurdity 
has never been thought of. To this day the sama 
ceremony is performed in exact imitation of the venera- 
ble patriarch. Why, then, my dear reader, should we^ 
contradictor pervert the statement given by the inspired 
apostle and historian 1 He tells us, in words the most 
explicit, that 3000 were baptized or immersed : our 
friends say no ; this is incredible ; immersion cannot 
mean immersion, it must signify sprinkling ; a few drops 
of water applied to the body, no matter, where— on ihQ. 

ir 



186 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

face, the forehead, or poured on the top of the head — 
means the same as if the whole body had been plunged 
in the water. 

But to be serious. The subject is solemn. The ordi- 
nance is divine. I can perceive nothing incredible in 
the matter. Even granting that the three thousand had 
been baptized in one and the self-same day of their 
conversion, where is the difficulty ? It must arise either 
from the want of water or from the shortness of time. 
The former could not be the case, for it was at Jeru- 
salem, where, besides the public conveniences for immer- 
sion, such as the pools of Bethesda and Siloam, there 
were many Mikwaoth, or collections of water in the form 
of bathing houses, for the purification of unclean persons 
and vessels, &c., required by the law of Moses, and which 
was always by immersion. (See Lev. 15 : 16. Numb. 
19 : 7, 8.) Were an objector to the divine authority of 
the bible to urge that there was not a sufficiency of 
water in Jerusalem to enable the priests of the Most 
High God to conduct the required service of the temple, 
in which an abundant use of this element was employed, 
what answer would our Pedobaptists supply ? If they 
could find water sufficient for this and the daily wants 
of the inhabitants, there could be no deficiency for the 
purpose of baptism. Besides, baths in private houses 
were common, and continue so among the Jews to this 
day, for the use and convenience of both males and 
females in their time of purifications : for many Jews 
immerse themselves every Friday, the preparation for 
the sabbath, and on the day of preparation for festivals, 
on days of fasting, &;c. 

Nor is there any difficulty with respect to the latter, 
viz., the want of time. These three thousand persons 
might have been immersed, not only in one day, but 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 187 

even in less than three hours ; for the twelve apostles, 
together with the seventy disciples, were all qualified for 
the sacred office. On the supposition, that they all took 
part in the solemn transaction, which is more than pro- 
bable, each individual would not have more than thirty- 
seven candidates ; and such a number could be immersed 
with the greatest ease in less than two hours. There is, 
therefore, no weight in this objection. Yea, it is truly 
astonishing that the account given by the inspired histo- 
rian of three thousand converts being immersed in one 
day, when it is very probable that the act was performed 
by the mutual assistance of eighty-two persons, should 
be thought incredible. Strange that our brethren should 
credit facts related by men, and yet call in question, 
or try to explain away, facts plainly narrated in the 
inspired volume. Why should it be thought incredible 
that three thousand have been baptized on the day of 
Pentecost, when our brethren have expressed their 
belief that Xavier baptized fifteen thousand Indians in 
one day ; and Austin ten thousand Britons in one day 
at Canterbury ; and that Pope Liberius baptized nine 
thousand Catechumens on part of a Saturday ? 

Nor is there any weight in the objection, " that it is 
not likely that the jailer and his family would, in the dead 
of the night, have gone out of the city to be immersed 
in the river." We conceive there is no necessity for it. 
He had sufficient water on his own premises. For all 
who have travelled in the east know that few laro^e 
buildings are without tanks of water or bathing houses ; 
and this is particularly necessary to preserve health in 
prisons, barracks, (fee. 

1 0. Again, it is objected that the word haptizein must 
mean to sprinkle and pour, " because the Lord Jesus 
Christ promised his disciples that they should be bap- 



188 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

tized with the Holy Ghost ; but the Holy Ghost was 
promised under the Old Testament by sprinkling and 
pouring ; and on the day of Pentecost, when the promise 
was fulfilled, it was by pouring, and not by immersion ; 
and, therefore, to baptize means to pour." In answer 
to this, I would observe that the promise of the Spirit's 
influences was never expressed by sprinkling. When 
we read of '' sprinkling clean water, ^^ it was in allusion 
to the sprinkling of blood under the Old Testament, and 
the sprinkling of the blood of Christ under the New 
Testament. But, when the Spirit was promised by 
pouring, it was used metaphorically to signify the abun- 
dance of it to be enjoyed under the New Tastament. 
John 7 : 39. Hence the descent of the Holy Ghost on 
the day of Pentecost is neither expressed by sprinkling 
nor pouring, but by being " shed forth," " a rushing, 
mighty wind," which *' filled all the house," and all the 
disciples " were filled with the Holy Ghost." " If we 
may speak with strict propriety of the overwhelming 
influence of a torrent of eloquence^ of how much more 
overwhelming a character was this wondrous commu- 
nication of the gift of tongues ! and what term could be 
more appropriate than that of baptism ! If a figurative ex- 
pression must be farther dissected to search after sprin- 
kling or pouring, the idea is clearly, not that each apos- 
tle was filled by an individual pouring, but that like the 
^^ sound,'^ as of a mighty wind, which " filled the room," 
so was the room filled with the Spirit ; so that all the 
disciples were immersed in it, as we are constantly im- 
mersed in the air which we breathe." ffinton on Bap-^ 
tism, p. 38. 

In this sense the promise of the baptism with the Holy 
Ghost has been understood by many of the most learned 
of Pedobapti^ts. Cyril, of Jerusalem, makes baptism 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 189 

an emblem of the Holy Ghost's effusion on the apostles : 
" For, as he that goes down into the water, and is bap- 
tized, and surrounded on all sides by the water, so the 
apostles were baptized all over by the Spirit ; the water 
surrounds the body externally, but the Spirit incompre- 
hensibly baptizes the interior soul." Hinton, p. 39. 

Gurtlems : " Baptism in the Holy Ghost is immersion 
into the pure waters of the Holy Spirit ; or a rich and 
abundant communication of his gifts : for he on whom 
the Holy Spirit is poured out is, as it were, immersed 
into him.''^ Inst. TheoL, ch. 33, ^ 108, 109, 110, 115. 

Reynolds : ^' The Spirit under the gospel is compared 
to water ; and that not a little measure, to sprinkle or 
bedew, but to baptize the faithful in. Matt. 3: 11. 
Acts 1 : 5." Works, pp. 226, 407. 

Tillotson : " It filled all the house. This is that which 
our Saviour calls baptizing with the Holy Ghost : so 
that they who sat in the house were, as it were, im- 
mersed in the Holy Ghost, as they who were buried with 
water were overwhelmed or covered all over with 
Vfdiiex, which is the proper notion ofbaptismP Serm. 197. 

11. It is objected, that immersion is dangerous to 
health. 

To avoid the inconsistency of sprinkling, while they 
acknowledge that immersion was the apostolic mode, our 
Pedobaptist brethren say that in the eastern countries 
immersion might be used, but in these parts of the world 
immersion would be dangerous ; and God loves mercy 
rather than sacrifice. Thus Mr. Walaeus : " In warm 
countries the ancients practised an immersion for the 
whole body ; but in colder climates they generally use 
aspersion ; because a ceremony that is free ought always 
to give way to charity." Enchiridium de Bapt., p. 425. 

Mr. W. Perkins says : " The ancient custom of bap- 



190 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

tizing was to dip^ and, as it were, to dive all the body of 
the baptized in the water, as may appear in Paul, Rom. 
6, and the counsels of Laodicea and Neo-Caesarea ; 
but now, especially in cold countries, the church uses 
only to sprinkle the baptized, by reason of children's 
weakness ; for very few of ripe years are now-a-days 
baptized. We need not much to marvel at this altera- 
tion, seeing charity and necessity may dispense, with 
ceremonies, and mitigate in equity the sharpness of them." 
Works, vol. 1, p. 74. Edit., 1608. 

Keckermannus : " Though the term baptism properly 
signifies immersion, and though also in the ancient 
church through the eastern countries, when baptism was 
administered, it was not by sprinkling, but by immersion ; 
yet in the colder parts of Christendom aspersion is used 
instead of immersion, on account of infants ; because 
charity and necessity may dispense with ceremonies, and 
temper them with gentleness, so far as may be done with- 
out injuring the analogy." System Theolog., L. 3, ch. 8. 

A late writer on the subject of Pedobaptists immers- 
ing those who had been sprinkled in infancy, not only 
justifies the church and councils in administering the 
ordinance in whatever mode they may think most con- 
venient, but he gives the same liberty to individuals. 
" Let every person," says he, " be gratified in the prac- 
tice which his own conscience may "dictate. Nor is it 
to be supposed that in an enlightened community, or 
under the ministrations of an intelligent preacher, people 
would become either irregular or extravagant." New 
York Obs., April 26, 1828. 

In answer to this objection, we observe that it has 
never been proved that immersion is dangerous to the 
health of either adults or infants. But suppose that even 
in some cases immersion might be hazardous to health, 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 191 

we should have no authority to alter the mode of a posi- 
tive institution. In cases of sickness, &c., it might be 
necessary to delay the administration of the ordinance, 
no time being specified ; but we have no authority to alter 
the mode of a positive institution. (See Essay I.) But 
we have already shown that the Greek church has in- 
variably administered the ordinance of baptism by im- 
mersion, although the climate inhabited by a great part 
of that numerous church is as cold as in any part of 
Christendom ; and we have never heard of any ill effects. 
Nay, so far is immersion from beijng dangerous or injuri- 
ous to health, that some of the wisest physicians have 
considered the cold bath, in general, a great promoter of 
health. Thus Dr. W^aZZ observes : ^' Tha.t John Floy er, 
an eminent physician, endeavoured to show, by reasons 
taken from the nature of our bodies, from the rules of 
medicine, from modern experience, and from ancient his- 
tory, that washing or dipping infants in cold water is, 
generally speaking, not only safe, but very useful ; and 
that, though no such rite as baptism has been instituted, 
yet reason and experience would have directed people 
.to use cold bathing both of themselves and children ; 
and that it has in all former ages so directed them ; and 
he prognosticates that old modes of physic and religion 
will in time prevail, when people have had more experi- 
ence in cold baths ; and that the approbation of physi- 
sicians would bring in the old use of immersion in 
baptism." Hist. Inf. Bap., Part 2, ch. 9, p. 476. ' 

Dr. Franklin : " Damp,hi\t not wet, linen may possibly 
give colds ; but no one catches cold hy bathing, and no 
clothes can be wetter than water itself." Letters and 
Papers on Serious Suhj., p. 460. 

The Rev. John Wesley has informed us " that Mary 
Welch, aged eleven years, was baptized according to 



192 iSSSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

the custom of the first church, and the rule of the church 
of England, by immersion. The child was ill then, but 
recovered from that hour." Ext. of Mr. J. Wesley'^s 
Journal, from his embarking for Georgia, p. 11, 2d ed. 
Note on Rom. 6 : 4. 

But let us suppose for a moment that immersion was 
attended with as much pain and danger as circumcision 
was, would our Pedobaptist brethren allow us to omit or 
alter our Lord's positive institution ? Surely not. 

Dr. Sherlock : " If an express law may be disobeyed 
as often as men fancy they see reason to do what the 
law forbids, this overthrows the whole authority of making 
laws, and makes every subject a judge whether the laws 
of a sovereign prince should be obeyed or not." Pre- 
serv. against Popery^ Title 7, p. 21. 

Mr. A. Hall : " All that concerns the glory of God" 
(and the honour of his church) " is unerringly and un- 
alterably settled in the Word of God, which is not yea 
and nay. It does not accommodate its doctrine to suc- 
ceeding periods of time, nor to the changing tempers, 
humours, or fashions of the place ; like its divine author, 
it is the same yesterday^ and to-day, andybr et;er." Gos- 
pel Church, p. 52. 

Abp. Seeker : " Surely it is enough that He is Lord 
and King of the whole earth, and that all his dealings 
with the works of his hands are just and reasonable. 
Our business is, to obey and trust him with the conse- 
quences.'^^ Lectures on the Cat., lect. 2. 

The great Dr. Owen : *' That divine revelation is the 
only foundation, the only law, and the only rule of all 
religious worship that is pleasing to God or accepted 
by him, is a maxim of the last importance in divinity. 
This maxim teaches that everything appointed by God 
in his worship, however absurd, or difficult, or unpro- 



ESSAY V,] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 193 

fitable it may seem to reason, is to be regarded and per- 
formed with the deepest reverence and submission, on 
account of that supreme authority which appointed and 
required it." Theolog., L. 4, ch. 3, Dig. 3, p. 326. 

The pious Dr. Hunter : '* No circumstances of pru* 
dence or conveniency can ever be with propriety urged 
as a dispensation with a clearly commanded duty. 
Observe the delicacy and the danger of admitting a 
latitude and a liberty in sacred things. In what concerns 
the conduct of human life, in our intercourse one with 
another as the citizens of the world, many things must 
be left to be governed by occasions and discretion ; but 
in what relates to the immediate worship of God, and 
where the mind of the Lord has been clearly made 
known, to assume and exercise a dispensing power is 
criminal and hazardous. The tabernacle must be con- 
structed, to the minutest pin and loop, according to the 
pattern delivered in the mount. If Uzzah presume to 
put forth his hand to support the tottering ark, it is at his 
peril. A holy and a jealous God will be served only by 
the persons and in the manner which he himself has 
appointed. * I will be sanctified in them that come nigh 
me, and before all the people I will be glorified.' Lev. 
10:3. When the great Jehovah condescends to become 
a legislator, the utmost extent of possibility lying open 
to his View , provision is made from the beginning for every 
case that can happen^'^\ Sac. Biog., vol. 3, pp. 93, 
362, 435. 

I shall close this particular with the judicious remark 
of the eminently pious Mr. Booth: " How lamentable 
and how shameful, to think of eminent Protestants 
adopting the principle, and arguing upon it, in favour of 
pouring and sprinkling ! for I am persuaded that none 
of them ever considered the Jewish church as autho* 

17 



194 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

rized by these words, * I will have mercy and not sacri- 
fice,' to alter any divine appointment. Shall Christiana, 
then, make more free with divine authority than Jews, 
because they live under a better dispensation ? Far be it. 
That would represent the Holy One of God as the minis- 
ter of sin ; would be contrary to Scripture and reason, 
to conscience and common sense. The disciples of 
Christ are as much obliged to regard the positive laws 
of the New Testament with strict punctuality, as the 
Jews were to observe their divine ritual contained in the 
books of Moses. Nay, our superior privileges are s® 
many additional motives to perpetual obedience. 

" Whenever any one, therefore, is inclined to substitute 
aspersion for plunging, on a supposition of the latter 
being burdensome or indelicate, upon the foundation of 
those condescending words, * I will have mercy and nat 
sacrifice,' he should recollect that command of God to 
Abraham, * ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore- 
skin,' and see how far the gracious declaration would 
have applied there, before he ventures to alter a positive 
appointment of Christ on that ground. Again, were it 
allowable to prosecute the hint which some of these 
learned authors give, (see page 28,) that is, for charity 
and necessity to erect a court of chancery, to sit in 
judgment on the equity of God's commands, and either 
mitigate their severity, or dispense with them as we 
think proper, something, indeed, might then be done 
that would effectually obviate all shivering apprehen- 
sions and every painful, modest feeling which the word 
baptize would otherwise excite in the breast of any. 
Nor would the relief afforded by such a court be con- 
fined to the frightful idea of plunging ; for it would 
extend its benign influence to every other case in which 
our sovereign wills happen to clash with positive laws ; 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 195 

because the uniform language of its decrees would be 
that of Peter to Christ — spare thyself. While, how- 
ever, the validity of such a court remains doubtful, it 
will be our wisdom, when the Most High speaks, not to 
reason and object, but to adore and oheyP Pedob. Exam. 
1, 326. 

12. Indecency has been pleaded as another ground 
for changing immersion to sprinkling. But " who is 
this that replieth against God ?" For, said the Lord 
Jesus, as an argument for his own immersion, '' thus it 
becoraeth us, or is becoming in us, to fulfil all righteous- 
ness." Objections like this are themselves indecorous ; 
especially when they <5ome from those who raise no 
such objection against circumdsian. Besides, were 
there no females among the great number of penitents 
baptized by John in Jordan ? See Matt. 21 : 32. And 
is it not certain that at Samaria believers, both mea 
a«id women, were baptized ? Acts 8 : 12. Let our 
brethren call to recoll^ctioji tha act to which Abraham 
and all the men of his household were required to submit, 
and to which they did submit, and which rite the 
Jewish nation still observe, and performed it generally in 
the Synagog-ue, in the most public manner ; and neither 
Jews nor Christians have ever found fault with it as 
indecent. 

13. Having already exceeded my intended limits, I 
hasten to close this part of the subject by noticing, as 
the last objection against the mode, a very common 
opinion, viz., that the mode is of no importance, so long 
as water is applied ; the quantity of water being but a 
circumstance not essential to the ordinance. Perhaps 
few persons living have had better opportunities of be- 
coming acquainted with Christians of different denomi- 
EBtions than I have been favoured with, both in Europe 



196 ' ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

and in this country : and, as the subject of baptism has 
been frequently introduced, I have observed that many 
who expressed their conviction that immersion is the 
Scriptural mode, *' still said that, as sprinkling was much 
more convenient, it would answer the same end ; that 
the quantity could be of no importance ; and that, as long 
as water is applied, the command is complied with.'* 
I acknowledge, with deep regret and much sorrow, that 
I have myself used expressions like these ; but I hope 
the Lord has graciously pardoned this sin also, for I did 
it ignorantly : and I most affectionately entreat the 
reader to pause and consider the subject seriously and 
prayerfully. When Naaman, the leper, was directed to 
wash in Jordan, he was angry, imagining that the waters 
in the rivers of Damascus were equally good, if not 
better. True, had the prophet said only, go and wash 
in water, it could have made no difference in which river 
he had dipped himself; but, since Jordan was named, 
it became the leper's duty to dip in Jordan ; even so, 
had the Lord Jesus Christ commanded merely to apply 
water, the quantity could have made no difference, 
whether it were done by immersion, pouring, or sprin- 
kling ; but as he expressly used the word which signifies 
to immerse, after having demonstrated his meaning by 
his own example, it is daring presumption to pervert the 
meaning of this law. We have no right to alter God's 
commandments. It has already been shown, in our 
first Essay, that our obedience is to be grounded on the 
majesty and authority of the commander, and not on the 
judgment of the subject. If an Israelite had circumcised 
his child on the seventh or on the ninth day instead of 
the ez^A^A, although he performed the act of circumcision, 
yet, having altered the mode in not performing it at the 
time specified in the commandment, he would have beea 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 197 

guilty as a transgressor ; and the male child, which was 
not circumcised on the eighth day, was to be cut off from 
God's people. Hence, though no work was to be done 
on the sabbath, yet the child must be circumcised, be- 
cause the time, as well as the act, was commanded. 
" Under the Mosaical law," says the learned Vincent 
Ahop, " God commanded that they should offer to him 
the daily burnt-offering ; and in this case the colour of 
the beast (provided it was otherwise rightly qualified) 
was a mere circumstance^ such as God laid no stress 
upon ; and that man had proved himself a superstitious 
busy-body who should curiously adhere to any one 
colour. But for the heifer whose ashes were to make 
the water of separation yi\iexe the colour was no circum- 
stance, but made by God's command a substantial part 
of the service. To be red was as much as to be a 
heifer : for, when circumstances have once passed the 
royal assent, and are stamped with a divine seal, they 
become substantials in instituted worship. As we must 
not think that God appreciates whatever men set a high 
value upon, so neither are we to judg:e that he dises- 
teems anything because it is grown out of fashion,, and 
thereby exposed to contempt by the atheistical wits of 
mercenary writers. It is a practice too common, that, 
if any of Christ's institutions seem necessary to be bro- 
ken, it will be first necessary to decri/ them a,s poor, low, 
inconsiderable circumstances ; and then to fill the peo- 
ple's heads with a noise and din, that Christ lays little 
stress on them ; and, in order hereto, call them the cir- 
cumstantials, the accidentals, the minutia, the punctilios, 
and, if need be, the Petty-Johns of religion, that con- 
science may not kick at the contemning of them." So- 
ber Inquiry, p. 289. 

Having now answered the objections brought against^ 
17* 



198 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

immersion, we will consider those brought against the 
Baptists themselves. 

14. It is very commonly objected, that baptism is a 
subject of no importance, a non-essential ; and that Bap- 
tists lay far too much stress on it. 

As common as it is for people to talk about non-essen- 
tials in religion, there is reason to fear that many " nei- 
ther understand what they say nor whereof they affirm.*^ 
It is a just remark of the learned Dr, Grosvenor, that 
" the diminutive things that have been said by some of 
the positive appointments in religion, and the extrava^ 
gant things that have been said by others, are two ex- 
tremes which true reasonings lead nobody into oa either 
hand. It is as contrary to the nature of things to make 
nothing of them, as to make them the whole of religion. 
To know exactly the regard that is due to them, is to 
find out the rank and order they are placed in by Him 
who has appointed them." " Some things," says the 
same author, '* are absolutely necessary to salvation, 
and in their own nature. We call those things absolute- 
ly necessary, without which there can. be no salvation 
at all. Thus, a mind suited to the happiness intended 
by the word salvation, is absolutely necessary ; or holi- 
ness, without which no man shall see the Lord. All the 
titles in the world to heaven can never give the pleasure 
of heaven, without a suitableness to its enjoyments. 
Fitness here is as the eye to the delights of colours and 
prospects ; the ears, to the pleasures of harmony ; and 
as the palate to those of taste and relish ; that is, a 
capacity of enjoyments. As there must be an animal 
nature for animal pleasures, a rational nature for the 
rational ones, so there must be the divine and heavenly 
nature for those that are divine and heavenly. No man 
would care to live, even with God, whom he did not 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 199 

love. A disposition to obey divine orders wherever they 
are discerned, either positive or moral, is part of that 
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. I 
may be saved without a sacrament, but I cannot be 
saved without a disposition to obey God's authority 
wherever I see it. A sacrament is a positive rite, and 
not to be compared with moral virtue and Christian 
grace. Or can there be any moral virtue or Christian 
grace without a disposition to obey the authority of 
Christ wherever I discern it? Surely obedience to 
God's commands is moral excellence, though the in- 
stances of that obedience may lie in positive rites. The 
sincerity and truth of such a disposition are best known 
by its being uniform and universal. Ps. 119 : 6. The 
author of our religion has told us, and added his example 
to his word, that thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteous- 
ness, and so ordered himself to be baptized. Baptism 
was a positive rite, an external thing ; and yet he calls 
it righteousness ; such righteousness as became him, who 
was the Holy One of God ; became Him who had in- 
trinsically no need of any outward ceremony ; whose 
inward purity was perfectly divine ; and if it became 
Him Xo fulfil such sort of righteousness, it can hardly 
become any who pretend to be his followers to neglect 
it." Moral Obligation to the Positive Appointments in 
Religion. 

Although our dependance for salvation is on Christ, and 
Him alone, yet that should not hinder, but rather farther, 
our obedience. To neglect a positive law we have al- 
ready shown (Essay I.) is criminal. Although circum- 
cision was no saving ordinance, yet whoever was not 
circumcised was cut off from among the people. Gen. 
17 : 14. Exod. 4 : 24. Even so baptism. It is a stand- 
ing ordinance ; and those who neglect it, or use it in an 



200 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

improper manner, offend God ; and every transgression 
exposes them to punishment, as those were punished 
who ate and drank unworthily. 1 Cor. 11 : 2P, 30. 

Now, this is all the stress and importance Baptists at- 
tach to the sacred ordinance of baptism. But it is very 
evident that our Pedobaptist brethren lay a great deal 
more stress on it. Multitudes of them have openly de- 
clared it absolutely necessary to salvation ; others, who 
do not go all that length, yet go a great way too far. 
History informs us that in the beginning of the fourth 
century it was believed by some that baptism was neces- 
sary to salvation.* This is acknowledged by many of 

* Alas ! how true it is that " error never goes alone." It is like 
the small rivulet which, in its progress, unites various streams,, and 
thus becomes a large and powerful river, which carries everything 
before it. Believing that baptism was necessary to salvation, «a- 
turallyled first to aspersion or sprinkling, and then to infant baptism. 
When a person was sick and supposed to be dying, to secure his 
salvation, they were anxious to baptize him ; and, as he could not go 
to the water, they conceived that water might be brought to him ; 
and, as immersing a sick person in cold water was thought danger- 
ous, they affirmed that pouring water upon him was sufficient. 
Thus the change of immersion to pouring, in cases of necessity, 
was ett first thought to be lawful ; but the Council at Ravenna, in 
the thirteenth century, improved upon this, and declared sprinkling 
and dipping indifferent. The belief, that baptism was necessary to 
salvation, led also to infant baptism, which till then had not been 
known, Justin Martyr^ who, in the middle of the second century, 
addressed a letter to the Emperor Antonius PiuSy describing the 
nature of conversion, and of forming Christian societies, never men- 
tions the baptism of infants. TertuJlian, who lived in the begin- 
ning of the third century, is the^^r^^ who mentioned infant baptism, 
and he opposes it as an error. About fifty years after this Cyprian, 
bishop or minister of Carthage, (who. justified the consecration of 
baptismal water, the exorcising of the devil, the necessary use of 
chrism or anointing in baptism, with other superstitious practices, 
and who was the first that vindicated the change of immersion into 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 201 

the most learned Pedobaptist divines. Such is the tes- 
timony of Vitringa^ Venema^ Salmasius^ HospinianuSy 
SuiceruSy Episcopius^ Dr. Owen^ Dr. Wall, S^c. Long 
quotations from their writings on this subject may be 
seen in Booth^s Pedobap. Exam., vol. 2, ch. 3. Nor 
have all our modern Pedobaptist brethren rejected this 
opinion. To this day it is believed that infants are to 
be baptized, because it is necessary to salvation ; that in 
the act of baptism they are regenerated, cleansed, and 
justified, and their sins forgiven ; that they are delivered 
from the greatest of evils, and enriched with the best 
and most excellent endowments ; filled with divine grace ; 
made the children of God and heirs of eternal salvation ; 
that they are joined and knit to Christ, as members to 
the head ; that they are signed with a character which 
can never be blotted out of their souls. Such was the 
doctrine of the Council of Trent and of the Cheek churchy 
who immersed their infants, and is taught in the confes- 
sions of Helvetia, Bohemia, Auyshury, Suxuiiy, Wlttcii" 
burg, Sueveland, and by the Church of England, by the 
Westminster assembly. As the reader may not be ac- 
quainted with the Episcopal form as used in England, I 
insert a copy. At baptism the minister says : '' This 
child is regenerated and grafted into the body of Christ's 
church." At confirmation, the bishop having asked the 

aspersion or sprinkling :) this man not only himself approved of bap- 
tizing infants, but also recommended it to others in the name of a 
council of sixty-six bishops or pastors. Through the influence of 
Augustine, in a council of fifteen bishops, met at Mela, in Numidia, 
Ann. 416, it was decreed and enforced by Anathema that *' It is 
the pleasure of all the bishops present in the holy Synod to order 
that whosoever denieth that infants newly born of mothers are to 
be baptized shall be accursed." More than four hundred churches 
in Africa refused submission to this decree, and, consequently, be- 
came the subjects of cruel and extensive persecution. 



202 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

children individually, " Who gave you this name ?" 
they, agreeably to instruction given them, reply, '' My 
god-fathers and god-mothers in my baptism, wherein I 
was made a member of Christ, a child oj God, and an 
inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. After the children 
have repeated in their mother-tongue the creed, the 
Lord's prayer, the ten commandments, and answered 
some questions, the bishop lays his hands upon their 
heads and prays thus : *• Almighty and everlasting God, 
who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these, thy servants, 
by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them 
forgiveness of all their sins, &c. ;" and in a following 
collect he says : " These, thy servants, upon whom (after 
the example of thy holy apostles) we have now laid our 
hands to certify them (by this sign) of thy favour and 
gracious goodness toward them." Thus, as infants, they 
have been regenerated in baptism, of which, in riper years, 
they were confirmed and certified ; and at their burial, 
no matter liuw wicked their lives may have been, (eiLuep(» 
self-murderers or excommunicated,) their bodies are com- 
mitted to the dust in " sure and certain hope of a resur^ 
rection to eternal life^'' and thanks are given for " God's 
taking the soul of this dear brother (or sister) to himself." 
Awful delusion indeed ! Assembly Conf of Faith, ch. 28. 
** Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained 
by Jesus Christ, not only as the solemn admission of the 
party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto 
him a si^w and sea/of the covenant of grace, of his ingraft- 
ing into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins," 
&c. Again ; " The efficacy of baptism is not tied to 
that moment of time wherein it is administered ; yet not- 
withstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace 
promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and con- 
ferred by the Holy Ghost to such (whether of age or ia« 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 203 

fants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to God's 
own will in his appointed time." Judging from the life 
and conduct of many who have been sprinkled in infancy, 
it seems that, by baptism, grace is promised, and sealed 
and offered, to many to whom, according to God^s own 
will, it does not belong. 

Dutch Reformed Church Conf. of Faith j Art. 34. 
" Christ shed his blood no less for the washing of the 
children of the faithful than for adult persons ; and, there- 
fore, they ought to receive the sign and sacrament of 
what Christ has done for them." Again, the Heidelb. 
Cat. Lord's day 26th, says, " that I (viz., the person 
baptized) am as certainly washed by his blood and spirit 
from all the pollution of my soul — that is, from all my sins 
— as I am washed externally with water." Is this really 
true of all baptized children ? 

Innumerable testimonies might be adduced from the 
writings of individuals, but two or three must suffice. 
John Calvin says : " Baptism is a sign of initiation, by 
which we are admitted into the society of the church, 
in order that, being incorporated into Christ, we maybe 
numbered among the children of God. In baptism God 
assures us that all our sins are cancelled, effaced, and 
obliterated, so that they will never appear in his sight, 
or come into his remembrance, or be imputed to us. 
Baptism is also attended with another advantage ; it 
shows us our mortification in Christ, and our new life 
in him. Rom. 6 : 3, 4." Institute, B. 4, ch. 15. Mr, 
Henri/, whose commentary on the bible displays so much 
piety, learning, and judgment, yet had his mind so much 
prejudiced by education, that he advances the following 
sentiment : " Such are the privileges which attend this 
ordinance, that, if our Master had bid us do some great 
thing, would we not have done it, rather than come short 



S04 E:SSA"^S ON BAPTISM. 

of them ? much more when he only saith unto us, wash^ 
and he clean ; wash, and be Christians. The gospel 
contains not only a doctrine, but a covenant ; and by 
baptism we are brought into that covenant. Baptism 
wrests the keys of the heart out of the hands of the 
strong man armed, that the possession maybe surrender- 
ed to him whose right it is. The water of baptism is 
designed for our cleansing from the spots and defile- 
ments of the flesh. In baptism our names are engraved 
upon the breast-plate of this Great High Priest. This, 
then, is the efficacy of baptism ; it is putting the child's 
name upon the gospel grant. We are baptized into 
Christ's death ; i. e., God does, in that ordinance, seal, 
confirm, and make over to us all the benefits of the 
death of Christ. Infant baptism speaks an hereditary re- 
lation to God, that comes to us by descent. Baptism seals 
the promise of God's being to me a God, and that is 
greatly encouraging ; but infant baptism increases the 
encouragement, as it assures me of God being the God 
of my father's, and the God of my infancy." Treatise 
on Baptism, Passim. Another Protestant divine has 
informed us " that Christ has nothing to do with any 
man, nor any man with Christ, till he is baptized with 
water. All power in heaven and on earth is in baptism. 
He that is not baptized has no interest in Father, Son, 
nor Holy Spirit. By this ordinance he is united unto the 
true God, and becomes one with him in all things. Bap- 
tism is our righteousness and holiness ; it is remission 
and cleansing from sin ; and, though our sins are red as 
scarlet, baptism makes white, and whiter than snow. 
He who is baptized is as white and clean from sin as 
God can make him." JuewelyrHs Treat, on 5«p.,pp. 5-23; 
Dear reader, allow me now to ask you the following 
questions : First, Who do you think lay the greatest 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWER1ED. 205 

Stress on baptism, the Baptists or the Pedobaptists ? 
Secondly. If the preceding statement be true, if grace 
be given the child in baptism, if God has truly regene- 
rated it, and has actually made it a member of Christ, 
a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of hea- 
ven, I ask, how comes it to pass that persons baptized 
in infancy are not uniformly pious in their after-lives ? 
How is it that so many of them turn out such profligates ? 
Are these \he fruits or evidences of their regeneration ? 
Are these the persons that may call God their Father, 
Christ their Head, and heaven their home ? I ask once 
more, how are these things consistent with the doctrine 
of perseverance ? Justice, however, requires the ad- 
mission, that all Pedobaptists do not attach so much im- 
portance to infant baptism. Mr. Bradbury says : " That 
your children shall be sanctified from their mother's 
womb, upon their being received in this <>rdinance, is 
making the blessing of the new covenant come by the 
will of men and of the will of the flesh, and not of God. 
But he not deceived ; God is not mocked. Do not think 
so idly of those favours that come by his Spirit." Duty 
and Doctrine of Baptism^ p. 19. 

The late Pedobaptist writer in the New York Ob^ 
server, mentioned above, states that infant baptism is 
wholly the act of the parents, and that the t^hild derives 
no other benefit from it but a dedication to God ; and in 
the close of his paper he observes : *^ If the Pedobaptist 
churches would take this ground, and relinquish the idea 
that baptized children are in any such sense members of 
the church as to entitle them, by reason of their baptism, 
to a seat at the Lord's table, and to subject them to the 
discipline of the church, they would find their system, I 
think, more consistent with Scripture, and more accor- 
dant with what, in fact, is practicable." 

18 



206 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

It is gratifying to see the rapid progress of the Baptist 
sentiment. Nor can it be otherwise. In proportion as 
the hihle is circulated and read without note and com- 
ment, in the same proportion we may hope God will be 
worshipped without human inventions. Hasten it^ Oh 
Lord, for thy name's sake. Amen. 

15. Close communion is another objection against 
the Baptist sentiments and practice. 

Not a few pious and conscientious Christians, con- 
vinced of the truth of the Baptist sentiments, have been 
kept back by the erroneous and slanderous report, that 
the Baptists are a bigoted, narrow-minded sect, because 
they allow none to come to the Lord's table except the 
members of their own denomination, as if they were the 
only people fit for heaven. 

Certainly our Pedobaptist brethren cannot mean by 
this objection that we ought to admit a person who is a 
heretic in sentiment or immoral in practice ; for to such 
some of them refuse admittance, as well as we. Their 
objection, therefore, we conceive, is, that we do not admit 
such as are church members in good standing in every 
other respect, except that they have not been immersed 
after di. personal profession of faith. I confess, with deep 
regret, that this objection had once great weight upon 
my mind, and excited not a little prejudice against the 
Baptist denomination. I remember that once, after ha- 
ving preached in a Baptist church, immediately before 
the administration of the Lord's supper, on leaving the 
pulpit, I expostulated with the minister for refusing me 
a crumb of bread from the Lord's table, after I had dis- 
pensed the bread of life to the whole congregation. But, 
as hard as I then thought of this conduct, I cannot noio 
but approve of it, as a thing absolutely necessary to 
make their practice consistent with their principles. 



ESSAY V.j OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 207 

A moment's reflection will, I trust, convince the reader 
of the propriety of close communion. No man, I believe, 
if considered by our Pedobaptist brethren as not baptized, 
would be admitted to break bread at the Lord's table 
in any of their churches, however amiable his character, 
or how much soever they might esteem him in other 
respects. During my examination of the subject of 
baptism, I found that it is a universally received opinion 
that the ordinance of baptism must precede the Lord's 
supper, and that whoever refuses to submit to the former, 
or is unqualified for it, is to be refused admission to the 
latter. This might be confirmed by innumerable testi- 
monies from public catechisms and confessions of faith, 
as well as from the writings of pious and learned Pedo- 
baptists. I select but a few, 

Justin Martyr, speaking of the Lord's supper, says : 
^* This food is called by us the Eucharist, of which it 
is not lawful for any to partake but such as believe the 
things that are taught by us to be true, and have been 
baptized.'*^ Apolog. 2, p. 162. 

Lord Chancellor King says : " Baptism was always 
precedent to the Lord's supper ; and none were admitted 
to receive the Eucharist till they were baptized. This 
is so obvious to every man, that it needs no proof." 
Inquiry, Part 2, p. 44. 

JDr. Wall informs us that " No church ever gave the 
communion to any 'persons before they were baptized. 
Among all the absurdities that ever were held, none ever 
maintained that, that any person should partake of the 
communion before he was baptized." Hist, Inf. Bap., 
Part 2, ch. 9. 

The very learned Benedict Pictet says : " The supper 
of our Lord ought not to be administered to persons that 



208 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

are unhaptized ; for before baptism men are not con- 
sidered as members of the visible church.'* Theology, 
Christ., 959. 

Dr. Doddridge tells us "it is certain that, as far as 
our knowledge of primitive antiquity reaches, no unbap^ 
tized person received the Lord's supper.-' Again he 
says : " How excellent soever any man's character is, he 
must be baptized before he can be looked upon as 
completely a member of the church of Christ." Lectures^ 
pp. 508-512. 

Bede informs us " that three young princes among 
the eastern Saxons, seeing a bishop administer the 
sacred supper, desired to partake of it, as their deceased 
and royal father had done. To whom the bishop answer- 
ed : * If ye will be washed, or baptized, in the salutary 
fountain, as your father was, ye may also partake of the 
Lord's supper, as he did ; but if ye despise the former, 
ye cannot in anywise receive the latter.' They replied, 
* We will not enter into the fountain, nor be baptized ; nor 
have we any need of it ; but yet we desire to be refreshed 
with that bread.' After which the historian tells us 
that, they importunately requesting, and the bishop reso- 
lutely refusing them admission to the holy table, they 
were so exasperated as to hamsh both him and his out 
of their kingdom." Hist, Eccles., L. 2, ch. 5, p. 63. 

Besides, it is strange indeed that those who believe 
that children sprinkled in infancy are properly baptized, 
become members of the church, are put under its watch 
and government, &c., and yet forbid them to approach 
the communion table, should find fault with Baptists for 
refusing those whom they consider as not baptized at all. 
The reader will be able to judge who is chargeable 
with improper close communion. 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 209 

16. It is not unfrequently objected, that the poor and 
illiterate only embrace the Baptist sentiments, and that 
the learned and rich are for infant baptism. 

Perhaps there is too much reason to fear that this 
objection has stifled many a conviction, and prevented 
both ministers and people from obeying the positive 
command of our blessed Lord and Saviour. Thus, 
*' w^hen the publicans justified God, being baptized with 
the baptism of John, the Pharisees and lawyers rejected 
the counsel of God against themselves, being not 
baptized of him." Luke 7 : 29, 30. In like manner, 
the Jewish builders justified themselves in rejecting the 
Messiah, the chief corner-stone, saying : " Have any of 
the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him ? but this 
people, who knoweth not the law, are cursed." John 7 : 
47, 48. Must the gospel be a cunningly devised fable 
because " not many wise men after the flesh, not many 
mighty, not many noble " have believed ? No ; verily 
not ! Let God be true, and every man a liar. The Lord 
is jealous of his glory ; and, therefore, he despises the 
great, the wise, and the noble, and chooses the poor of 
this world, and makes them rich in grace. Yes, dear 
reader, with the deepest humility, I would adopt the 
language of the blessed Jesus, and say : " I thank thee^ 
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast 
hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast 
revealed them unto babes. Even so. Father ; for so it 
seemed good in thy sight." Matt. 11 : 25, 26. 

Farther, is it not a true maxim, " Humanum est errare^'^ 
it is human to err ? Have not many learned and pious 
men erred and done wrong ? Are there not many learn- 
ed, rich men in the community full of errors and super- 
stitions ? Are we to do evil because the multitude do 
so ? " The BIBLE is the religion of Protestants ^^^ and 

18* 



210 ESSAYS ON BAPT13K. 

not the opinions and traditions of men, if ever so learned 
or opulent. Even a Paul must not be folio v^ed farther 
than he followed Christ. 

But the objection is not founded on fact. It is not the 
poor and illiterate only who are Baptists. Not a few 
in all ages of Christianity might be mentioned that were 
eminent for piety, learning, and respectability ; and who 
knows not that John, who was greater than all the pro- 
phets, was a Baptist ? and we have already shown that 
the apostles, who were still greater than John, were also 
Baptists ; and let it be remembered that the Lord Jesus 
Christ himself, the greatest of all, was a Baptist, both in 
sentiment and in practice; 

Since the days of the apostles too, there has been a 
bright cloud of witnesses in favour of the Baptist senti- 
ments. Sxxoh.vfexeihQDonatists^NovatianSj'WaldenseSy 
AlhigenseSj ancient Britons, &c., &c. And is it not 
evident, from the quotations contained in the preceding 
pages, (and which might have been greatly multiplied,) 
that, however our Pedobaptist brethren differ from us 
with respect to the subjects and mode of baptism in 
practice, very many of them seem to be perfectly agreed 
with us in opinion ? 

A remark of the pious and excellent Mr. Booth is too 
applicable to be omitted in this place, and most suitable 
as the close of this part of the work. 

*^It is very observable," says he, " that so many Pe- 
dobaptists themselves have admitted the facts on which 
wo reason, and that they have either expressly rejected 
the texts usually pleaded against us as having nothing 
to do in the controversy, or so explained them as ren- 
ders their application in support of infant baptism quite 
impertinent. Do we maintain, for instance, that baptism 
is a positive institution, and that positive rites depend 
entirely on the revealed will of God in regard of the 



ESSAY v.] OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 211 

manner of performing them, the persons to whom they 
belong, and the signification of them ? All this they 
readily grant. Do we insist that the obvious and native 
sense of the term baptism is immersion? They ex- 
pressly allow it. Do we maintain that immersion was 
the apostolic practice, and that, except in extraordinary 
cases, it was the general custom of thirteen hundred 
years ? They confirm our sentiment. Do we affirm 
that immersion is the present practice of the Greek and 
Oriental churches, and that those churches include one- 
half of the Christian world ? Their own pens bear 
testimony for us. Do we insist that plunging is more 
expressive of the great things intended by the ordinance 
than pouring or sprinkling ? They accede to our opi- 
nion. Do we assert that the fir^ instance of pouring 
or sprinkling, instead of immersion, which is expressly 
recorded, was about the middle of the third century, and 
then condemned ; that the apostate church of Rome, ali 
sovereign as her church claims are, introduced pouring 
to common practice ; and that Protestant churches re- 
ceived it from her polluted hands ? These, being stub* 
born facts, are all acknowledged. Do we maintain that 
inordinary cases immersion is not prejudicial to health ? 
Pedobaptist physicians without a fee, and medical prac- 
tice without hesitation, confirm our opinion. Do we 
assert that no power on earth has authority to alter the 
law of Christ, or to depart from apostolic example, in 
regard to immersion ? So do they, in effect, when dis- 
puting with Papists concerning the sacred supper. Do 
we contend that there is no express command nor plain 
example in the New Testament relating to infant bap- 
tism 1 It is granted hy them. Do we plead that there 
is no evidence of Pedobaptism being practised before 
the conclusion of the second or the beginning of the 



212 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

third century ? This also is readily granted, even by 
some of those who were the greatest adepts in Christian 
antiquities. Do we treat with contempt the plea of 
pretended apostolic tradition, unsupported by Scripture ? 
So do all Protestants, except Pedobaptism, Episcopacy^ 
or something similar, solicit their patronage. We have 
the honour, therefore, to agree with many of them as to 
a great part of our premises, and with some of them 
respecting the whole. Yes, amazing as it may seem, 
we are honoured with having some of them for our 
associates in everything, except the conclusion. Here, 
indeed, we are utterly deserted by them. Nor can it be 
otherwise, while they are Pedo and we Anti-pedo- 
BAPTISTS." Mr. Booths having quoted a declaration of 
Bishop Taylor^ viz., " that there is much more truth 
than evidence on the side of Pedobaptism," observes : 
*' This being the case, I am discouraged in respect to 
an issue in the present controversy. For, as truth and 
evidence do not depend on the pleasure of man, they are 
stubborn things ; and we justly presume they will not 
easily quit their stations, out of complaisance to either 
side. While, therefore, each abides by her party, the 
Baptists, it is likely, will plead preponderating evidence, 
and firmly insist upon it as a maxim of logical prudence, 
that our assent should always be proportioned to the 
degree of evidence : on the other hand, we need not 
wonder if Pedobaptists exult in the possession of truth, 
because it is a precious jewel ; and such truth especi- 
ally as is obtained without evidence must be precious 
indeed, it being so extremely scarce. Despairing, 
therefore, of putting an end to the controversy, where 
truth and evidence take different sides, I must here lay 
down my pen." Pedob., Exam. 2, pp. 450, 483. 
And now, dear reader, I must also lay down my pen ; 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 213 

not in despair, however, but in prayer, that my humble 
attempt to render you such assistance as was in my 
power may prove to you a blessing, and in the hope 
that you will not suffer your mind to be kept back from 
searching the Holy Scriptures for both evidence and 
truth. 

And may He, whose gracious Spirit has led me, as I 
trusty out of the darkness of Judaism and sin, into the 
glorious light and liberty of the gospel, and constrained 
me to be baptized into his most holy name, and given me 
great peace in believing and joy in obeying his Word ; 
may He lead you into all truth and obedience, and glo- 
rify himself in the united and harmonious sanctified in- 
fluence of all his beloved people, through Jesus Christ, 
his Son. Amen. 



ESSAY VI. 
Practical Improvement, 



Having, in the preceding Essays, stated my views 
respecting the subjects and mode of the ordinance of 
baptism, I now humbly propose to make a few remarks 
in this edition of a practical nature, particularly address- 
ed to the members of that denomination to which I now 
have the honour to belong. Whatever imperfections 
may be attached to the foregoing Essays, you doubtless 
approve of the sentiment they are designed to establish. 
Whatever minor differences may exist among us, we 
are all agreed in the fundamental principle, most sacred 
to our denomination, viz., that a positive institution ad- 
mits of no alteration whatsoever, except made by the 
Lawgiver himself. We believe that it is as criminal 



214 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

to omit any part of the institution, as to add anything 
of our own invention. Let us, then, my beloved brethren, 
be consistent. While we strictly and conscientiously 
adhere to the former part of our Lord's commission, viz., 
to admit none to this sacred ordinance but such as be- 
lieve, and in no other way but by immersion, let us be 
equally strict and conscientious with respect to the second 
part of the divine precept, namely, " to observe all 
things whatsoever Christ has commanded." Nothing 
can be more reasonable than our obedience to his com- 
mands, and nothing more useful ; for " in keeping of them 
there is great reward." 

But to enumerate all things whatsoever Christ has 
commanded would by far exceed my limits. I will, 
therefore, select some leading particulars only, which in- 
clude others. The Lord Jesus Christ has adopted the 
Moral Law, the eternal rule of righteousness, as the law 
of his kingdom ; and in his incomparable sermon on the 
mount he has explained it in its highest sense, and 
delivered it to his followers as the rule of their obedience 
and conformity to him. It is a just and important ob- 
servation of the late pious Archibald McLean, that " the 
rule of duty is here carried to a higher degree of spiri- 
tuality and perfection than in any former revelation of 
the mind of God. It is accommodated to the kingdom of 
Christ, which is not of this world ; and so contains a 
perfect system of non-conformity to the world, enjoining 
mortification, self-denial, and crucifixion to it in all its 
lusts and favourite pursuits. It is suited to the subjects 
of the kingdom of heaven considered in the situation of 
strangers and pilgrims on the earth, as Christ was, and, 
like him, sustaining the opposition and hatred of the world ; 
answerable to which, it enjoins poorness of spirit, humili- 
ty, meekness, patience, non-resistance of evil, forgive- 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 215 

ness of injuries, love of enemies, &c. ; its great and 
leading design being their conformity to Christ in this 
world, that they may share with him in his glory when 
he appears." 

In this heavenly discourse the King of Zion teaches 
his subjects that causeless anger, and words expressive 
of contempt, make a man liable to the judgment of God 
as much as actual murder. Matt. 5 : 21, 22. While 
the letter of the law prohibits all Outward acts of uncle an- 
ness, our blessed Redeemer assures us that every impure 
thought or unchaste desire is the commission of adultery 
in the sight of God. Ver. 27, 28. With respect to an 
oath, tradition considered/a/^e swearing onlysiS a breach 
of the law, but not simply unnecessary swearing ; and 
that by the name of God was meant only the name 
Jehovah : but our Lord prohibits all manner of swearing, 
whether true or false, by any kind of oath whatever, in 
common conversation, as a taking the name of God in 
vain. Verses 33-37. 

Farther, by the law of Moses, injuries were to be 
punished in kind by the judges, in case the injured party 
insisted on it ; so that if a man, for instance, lost an eye 
or tooth by a blow, he might demand the eye or tooth 
of the offender. But Christ admits of no such law in 
his kingdom, it being entirely incompatible with the 
genius of his religion ; and, therefore, he absolutely for- 
bids his subjects to resist evil or retaliate injuries in any 
manner of way whatever. Ch. 5 : 38-42. This im- 
portant precept of our blessed Lord was best explained 
by his own example, which is set before his disciples 
for their imitation. " For," saith an inspired apostle, 
" if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it pa- 
tiently, this is acceptable with God : for even hereunto 
were ye called : because Christ also suffered for us, 



216 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps : 
who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth : 
who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he 
suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to 
him that judgeth righteously." 1 Pet. 2 : 20-24. And 
as this divine command is so contrary to corrupt nature, 
and the maxims and humours of this world, which say, 
" Revenge is sweet," but so honourable to the religion 
of Christ, it is repeatedly pressed upon the disciples. 
See Rom. 12 : 17, 19. 1 Thess. 5:15. 1 Pet. 3 : 9. 
Yea, our blessed Lord and Saviour requires of his fol- 
lowers not only to cherish a spirit of forgiveness of 
injuries, in imitation of their heavenly father, (see Matt. 
6 : 14, 15 ; 18 : 23-35. Mark 11 : 25, 26,) but also 
to follow his noble example, even to love their enemies. 
For, saith he, " Ye have heard that it has been said, 
thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy ; 
but I say unto you, love your enemies ; bless them that 
curse you ; do good to them that hate you ; and pray for 
them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that 
ye may be the children of your father who is in heaven ; 
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. 
5: 43-45. 

Oh, my dear brethren, how excellent, how spiritual, 
and how exceedingly broad are these commands of our 
dear Lord and Saviour. Were they universally obeyed, 
the greatest part of the evils in the world would be 
annihilated : wars, massacres, law-suits, domestic dis- 
orders, frauds, rapines, oppressions would cease ; un- 
avoidable evils would be mitigated and rendered more 
supportable ; equity, truth, purity, peace, and love would, 
as it were, descend from heaven to dwell on earth, and 
drive their hateful opposites down to hell, whence 



ESSAY VI.3 PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 21? 

they came. Thus it would be if all men were Chris- 
tialfis, and well understood and practised their holy and 
heavenly religion. 

I cannot omit observing in this place that, when I first 
read this amiable, lovely, and divine precept, at the age 
of twenty-five years, my feelings were such as cannot 
possibly be expressed, nor will ever be forgotten: for, 
being brought up in the Jewish religion, and considera- 
bly versed in the writings of the Rabbins^I well knew 
that the law of loving our neighbour was not only restrict- 
ed by them to our nation, sects, family, and friends, but 
that by their precepts we were even required to hate our 
enemies. To love our enemies is a precept peculiar to 
the religion of Jesus. No wonder, therefore, that " the 
people were astonished at his doctrine, for He taught 
them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes.' 
The testimony of the multitude concerning the miracles 
of Christ is equally true concerning his precepts : " It 
was never so seen in Israel," much less among the best 
morality of the wisest heathen philosophers. How beau- 
tiful and true are the words of the poet : 

*^ What if we trace the globe around, 
And search from Britain to Japan ; 
There shall be no religion found, 
So just to God, so good to man." 

How little could that philosopher have known of the 
corruption of human nature, who asserted that, "if Vir- 
tue became incarnate, all men would love and adore her." 
Alas ! fact has shown his utter mistake. The Son of 
God himself became incarnate, and exhibited virtue, both 
by precept and example, in her most lovely and perfect 
form, and they both despised her, and him they crucified. 
Nor have times grown much better. The holy and 
heavenly precepts of our divine Redeemer are too much 

19 



218 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

neglected. The following observation is as true as it is 
painful : " Few of those who bear the Christian name 
will admit this and the foregoing two precepts, even so 
much as in principle ; and fewer still make any con- 
science of obeying them, though essential to the cha- 
racter of disciples. The greater part would ascribe the 
conduct here recommended to a mean, cowardly, pusil- 
lanimous disposition ; or, in the modern phrase, to want 
of spirit ; because they love not the character of Jesus, 
nor savour the things that be of God ; whereas patiently 
bearing insults, forgiving injuries, and loving enemies 
discovers the most exalted generosity, greatness, and for- 
titude of soul that can possibly be exhibited in human 
nature. 

" When the wrongs received from our enemies kindle 
our resentment, extinguish our benevolence, or induce 
us to retaliate, they have conquered us — we are then 
overcome of evil ; but if we freely and heartily forgive 
them, and return them blessing for cursing, good for evil, 
and love for hatred — this is to overcome evil with good, 
which is a conquest infinitely more noble, honourable, 
and glorious than all the victories of Alexander and 
Caesar, those scourges of mankind, who were themselves 
overcome of evil. Our Lord saith, ' If ye love them who 
love you, what reward have ye ? do not even the publi- 
cans the same ? And if ye salute your brethren only, 
what do ye more than others ? do not even the publi- 
cans so V Gratitude and natural affection, however 
commendable, do not distinguish Christ's disciples from 
the world ; but the love of enemies shows them to be 
partakers of the divine nature, the children of their father 
who is in heaven ; for hereby they imitate his mercy 
and undeserved goodness, who is kind unto the unthank- 
ful and to the evil." McLean on the Commission^ 180. 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 219 

I proceed to notice our Lord's prohibition of all rash, 
unjust, and evil judging upon groundless suspicions, or 
from a ceasorious, malevolent, unmerciful disposition, 
which is gratified in detecting, magnifying, exposing, and 
condemning the faults and infirmities of others, without 
any view to their good. Matt. 7 : 1-6. This is not only 
opposite to charity, but to common benevolence, and is 
frequently masked under a cloak of zeal for the truth. 
James 3: 14-17; 4: 11,12. Another most important 
caution of our blessed Lord is against vain-glory and hy- 
pocrisy in acts of liberality and devotion ; Matt. 6 : 1-7, 
16-18. The conduct of Christ's disciples differs from 
that of the Pharisees and Scribes in motive as well as in 
rule. They are, indeed, required to " let their light so 
shine before men, that others may see their good works, 
and glorify their father ;" yet they ought not to do their 
works " to be seen of men.^' " Their general conduct," 
saith the venerable Scott, '^ should be so exemplary as 
to constrain men to see an excellency in their religion ; 
but every action should spring from humility, the fear 
and love of God, and regard to his acceptance and glory, 
and not from a desire of being noticed or commended. 

All anxious solicitude or distracting cares, even as to 
the necessaries of this life, as well as covetousness, 
which is idolatry, are strictly prohibited by our divine 
Lawgiver as utterly inconsistent with that spiritual- 
mindedness, the distinguishing characteristic of a true 
Israelite, with a life of faith and a hope of glory ; Matt. 
6 : 19-34. Besides these few precepts of our Lord, ex- 
tracted from his sermon on the mount, many others of 
like importance were delivered by him on other occa- 
sions, of which, however, I will notice but one or two. 

*• If any one will come after me," saith our Lord and 
King, " let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 



220 ESSAYS OK BAPTISM. 

follow me." Matt. 16 : 24. Self 'denial, and bearmg the 
cross after the example of Christ, are two very compre* : 
hensive and essential precepts of the Christian religion, 
whereby it stands distinguished from all others, as well 
as from every accommodation of it to the nations of this 
world. We must deny our&elves, not only of the sinful 
gratifications of corrupt nature, but also of the most in- 
nocent and lawful enjoyments of this life when in any 
case they interfere or stand in competition with our alle- 
giance to Christ. We must also take up our cross and 
follow him, by sustaining the hatred and mal-treatment of 
the world for righteousness' sake, even to the loss of life 
itself, after the example of our blessed Redeemer. These 
duties are most peremptorily required by the Saviour, 
and largely discussed and powerfully enforced by almost 
every gospel minister. They are most honourable to 
religion, most beneficial to the soul, and absolutely ne- 
cessary to an assurance of our discipleship ; yet there 
is reason to fear that, of all other duties, these are the 
least understood and the most neglected. 

I hasten to name but one more precept of our dear 
Lord, and that is, brotherly love. This is the old and 
the new command, the first and the last ; the brightest 
evidence of our discipleship. *' A new commandment," 
says Christ, " I give unto you, that ye love one another : 
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By 
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye 
have love one to another." John 13 : 34, 35. 

" This injunction," saith one of my fellow-students, 
" is denominated the new commandment of the Christian 
economy ; not that lave was no duty before the coming 
of Christ, but it is now placed more prominently among 
the duties of believers ; is urged on fresh grounds, en- 
forced by a more perfect example, and constrained by 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMMOVEMENT. 221 

Stronger motives. The dispensation of Jesus Christ is 
a system of most wonderful, most mysterious grace. It 
is the manifestation, commendation, and perfection of 
divine love. It originated in the love of the Father, and 
is accomplished by the love of the Son. Jesus Christ 
was an incarnation of love in our world. He was love 
living, breathing, speaking, acting among men. His 
birth was the nativity of love, his sermons the words of 
love, his miracles the wonders of love, his tears the melt- 
ings of love, his crucifixion the agonies of love, his 
resurrection the triumph of love. Hence it was natural 
that love should be the cardinal virtue in the character 
of his saints, and that it should be the law that regulates 
their conduct toward each other. This grace is so im- 
portant, that, like holiness, no measure of it is sufficient 
to satisfy the requirement of the Word of God. It is the 
basis, and cement, and beauty of the Christian union : 
the church where it is wanting, whatsoever may be the 
number or gifts of its members, is nothing better than a 
heap of stones, which, however polished, want the co- 
herence and similitude of a palace."* The apostle: 

* " The Church Member's Guide," by the Rev. J. A. James, 2d 
Am. Ed., p. 81. With unfeigned pleasure, I take this opportunity 
of recommending most earnestly this incomparable ** guide " to every 
*' church member " of every Christian denomination. No one can 
peruse this little volume (of which it maybe said most truly " mul- 
turn in parvo^^) without bemg greatly instructed and benefited. 
The minister, the deacon, and the other members, all will feel them- 
selves reproved, directed, and encouraged. The husband, the wife, 
the parents, and the children ; the master and the servant, all will 
find their *' portion of meat in due season." Should the di- 
rections of this excellent Scriptural "guide" be speedily and faith- 
fully followed by all " church members," the language of the poet; 
would be adopted with the greatest propriety and with the most, 
exquisite pleasure and delight : 

1.9* 



222 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

gives us a brief, but very comprehensive, description of 
this divine grace in the following words : " Charity or 
love suffereth long, and is kind ; love envieth not ; love 
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave it- 
self unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, 
thinketh no evil ; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth 
in the truth ; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth 
all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth. And 
now abideth faith, hope, love, these three ; but the greatest 
of these is love." 1 Cor. 13 : 4-8, 13. This grace evi- 
dently is in direct opposition to pride, self-seeking, envy, 
evil-surmising, and every malignant passion and dispo- 
sition. It is kind and beneficent, engaging us in all res- 
pects to serve one another. Gal. 6 : 13. In this 
imperfect state it is attended with much self-denial, and 
requires the exercise of humility, patience, meekness, 
and long suffering in bearing one another's burdens. 

To point out the numerous ways in which brotherly 
love operates would exceed the limits of this Essay. It 

*' Let strangers walk around 

The city where we dwell, 
Compass and view thine holy ground,: 

And mark her building well ; 

The orders of thine house, 
The worship of thy court, 
The cheerful songs, the solemn vows ;: 
And make a fair report. 

How decent and how wise ! 
How glorious to behold ! 
Beyond the pomp that charms the eyes, 
And rites adorn'd with gold. 

The God we worship now 
Will guide us till we die, 
Will be our God while here below, 

And ours above the sky." Watts. 



I 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 223 

must suffice to state that, wherever it exists, it will show 
itself by praying for our brethren ; Eph. 6:18; bearing 
otie another's burdens, by assisting and relieving each 
other ; Gal. 6 : 2 ; by forbearing with one another ; Col. 
3 : 13 ; by reproving and admonishing in the spirit of 
meekness ; Prov. 27 : 5, 6 ; by establishing each other 
in the truth ; by conversation, exhortation, and stirring 
up one another to the several duties of religion, both 
public and private. Jude ver. 20, 21. Heb. 10 : 24, 27. 
Thus, my beloved brethren, I have pointed out a few 
of the most comprehensive precepts of our glorious King 
and Lawgiver. But let me not be understood as if I 
considered any of his commandments of not sufficient 
importance to deserve our notice or obedience ; God 
forbid ! His divine commission is, to " teach and to 
observe all things whatsoever ^^ he has commanded. 
Again he said : " Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever 
I command you." John 15 : 14. As Christ performed 
every command of his father, so must we obey every 
command of Christ. He is not a man after God's own 
heart that does not fulfil all his will. It is David's com- 
mendation that he did so. Acts 13 : 22. King Josiah 
hath the same honourable character left upon record : 
" He turned to the Lord with all his soul, according to 
all the law of Moses." 1 Kings 23 : 35. Obedience 
is quite out of tune, if any one command be slighted. 
When the people went to gather manna on the sabbath, 
and so broke the law, God taxed them with a violation 
of the whole. Exod. 16: 27. Should the reader 
exclaim, " who is sufficient for these things !" that 
would be indeed no matter of surprise ; but it would by 
no means be a justification of disobedience. Not a few 
have objected that Christ's precepts require such strict- 
ness as is unattainable. That absolute perfection is not 



224 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

to be obtained in this world I firmly believe ; but an 
unreserved and sincere obedience is certainly attainable. 
Thousands of saints of old have walked thus with God ; 
and there is a cloud of living witnesses who do exem- 
plify this conduct ; and our dear Redeemer hath pro- 
mised all-sufficient grace and strength equal to our day- 

To make use of arguments or motives to enforce 
obedience to Christ's precepts, might probably, by some, 
be considered needless. Would to God it were so. 
But, alas ! are there not those who, with the Jews of 
old, exclaim, " We have no king but Caesar." " We 
will not have this man to reign over us !" Are there 
not those who, having laboured in vain, and spent their 
strength for naught in the system of Arminianism, have 
sunk down into the opposite abominable scheme of 
anti-nomianism, maintaining that " the law is of no use 
or of no obligation under the gospel dispensation, and 
that good works are unnecessary." Such a scheme, I 
firmly believe, was no more formed by our God, who is 
" glorious in holiness," than it produces holiness of life ; 
and no more came down from Heaven than it fits its 
disciples for Heaven. Should any of my dear readers 
have imbibed this most dangerous sentiment, 1 would 
entreat him most affectionately to read, with fervent 
prayer and deep humility, the epistles of the inspired 
apostles, and also, if he please, to peruse " Dr. Bellamy's 
(excellent) letters and dialogues between Theron, Pau- 
linus, and Aspasio, with his Essay on the nature and 
glory of the gospel." 

" But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, 
and things that accompany salvation." Permit me, . 
however, to mention a few arguments to " stir up your 
pure mind by way of remembrance." It will be natural 
to consider, j^r^^, the authority of the Lawgiver. Our 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 225 

blessed Jesus is not a usurper, that hath exalted him- 
self to the throne by tyrannical power, intrigue, or bri- 
bery. He hath an indisputable right to sway the scep- 
tre of universal dominion, and to reign in the hearts of 
his people. The apostle's assertion concerning his 
priestly office is equally true concerning his royalty, 
*' No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that 
is called of God, as was Aaron ; so also Christ glorified 
not himself to be made " a king ; " but he that said unto 
him, thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee." 
Again ; " I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." 
And as David declared in another Psalm, " Jehovah said 
unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make 
thine enemies thy footstool." Heb. 5 : 4, 5. Ps. 2 t 
6; 110: 1. This is He of whom the evangelical 
prophet said, " Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our 
Lawgiver, Jehovah is our King ; He will save us." Isa, 
33 : 22. 

Christ's precepts call for our cheerful, constant, and 
unreserved obedience, because they are dictated by in- 
finite wisdom, which cannot err ; " For in him are hid 
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2 : 
3. They are established upon the basis of spotless 
purity and rectitude ; " For justice and judgment are 
the habitation of his throne ; mercy and truth go before 
his face," Ps. 89 : 14. " His law is holy, and his 
commandments holy, just, and good." Rom. 7 : 12. 
The royal Psalmist, speaking of his Son and Lord, the 
King of Zion, with the pen of a ready writer, describes 
him thus : " Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ; 
the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre : thou 
lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness ; therefore 
God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of glad- 
ness above thy fellows." Ps. 45 : 6, 7. And they are 



226 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

enforced by the strongest ties of love and gratitude. 
" A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love 
one another ; as I have loved you, that ye also love one 
another." John 13 : 34. " We love him, because he 
first loved us." 1 John 4 : 19. Therefore, my beloved 
brethren, " Let this mind be in you, which was also in 
Christ Jesus ; who, being in the form of God, thought it 
not robbery to be equal with God ; but made himself of 
no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, 
and was mad^^in the likeness of men ; and, being found 
in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross : 
wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given 
him a name which is above every name ; that at the 
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in 
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, 
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord to the glory of God, the Father." Phil. 2 : 5-11. 

Our public profession at the sacred ordinance of bap- 
tism I mention as the second argument to enforce our 
obedience to all the precepts of our divine Redeemer. 

Profession, without a becoming practice, is no better 
than a tree well reported of, but without fruit, which only 
encurabereth the ground. The good old adage, " appli- 
cation is the life of all," is peculiarly applicable to reli- 
gion, which does not consist in speculative notions, but 
in holy and useful practice. An inspired apostle has 
informed us that " pure religion and undefiled before 
God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and 
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted 
from the world." And again ; ** If any man among you 
seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but 
deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 
Jam. 1 : 26, 27. The same apostle exhorts us " to be 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPKOVEMENT. 227 

doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our 
own selves." That it is not the frequent, but obedient, 
hefeirer that is blessed, our blessed Lord himself has de- 
clared again and again ; and, to stir up your pure minds 
by way of remembrance, I will name but one or two of 
his solenm declarations. " Whosoever heareth these 
sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto 
a wise man, that built his house upon a rock : and the 
rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, 
and beat upon that house, and it fell not ; for it was 
founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these 
sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened 
unto a foolish man, that built his house upon sand : and 
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds 
blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell ; and great 
was the fall of it." Matt. 7 : 24-27. How striking 
and just is this illustration to point out, on the one hand, 
the extreme folly and disappointment of the mere hearer, 
and on the other the wisdom, success, and security of 
the obedient hearer. Neither will a correct knowledge 
supply the place of obedience ; for thus saith the Lord : 
" If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." 
John 13 : 17. As knowledge is necessary to practice, 
so is practice to happiness ; " For that servant which 
knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither 
did according to his will, shall be beaten with many 
stripes." Luke 12 : 47. How awfully tremendous ! 
oh, my beloved brethren, who can bear the thought ! 
Should the Saviour's rebuke be addressed to any one 
of us, saying, ** Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not 
the things which I say ?" Let us, therefore, seriously 
consider the purport of our profession at this sacred 
ordinance. 

We all agree that baptism is a badge of our disciple- 



228 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

ship to Christ : for, as it has been shown, iha.tnone but 
the disciples of Christ have a right to this sacred ordi- 
nance, so ail the disciples are bound in duty to submit 
unto it ; therefore, by our submission, we declare our 
belief to-be the disciples of Jesus. Let us, then, my 
beloved brethren, make it evident that we are such in- 
deed and of a truth. For, inasmuch as such a relation 
is the highest honour and greatest privilege, there is so 
much the more danger of deception ; for that which is 
the most valuable is the most liable to be counterfeited. 
Now, it is evident that a true disciple of Jesus is one 
that gives up himself to be wholly at Christ's disposing ; 
to learn what He teacheth, to believe what He reveals, 
to do what He commands, to avoid what He forbids, to 
suffer what is inflicted by or for Him, in expectation of 
that reward which He hath promised. Such a one is 
a disciple of Christ, and he, and none else, is a Chris- 
tian. Such were the disciples that were first called 
Christians at Antioch. Acts 1 1 : 20. But let us con- 
sider a few particulars. 

Our blessed Redeemer himself hath taken care to 
characterize his real disciples in such a manner that 
they might be distinguished from the mere formal pro- 
fessor. Self-denial and bearing the cross deserve to be 
mentioned first. When Jesus saw the multitude follow- 
ing him, he said unto them, " If any man come to me, 
and hate not his father and mother, and wife and chil- 
dren, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, 
he cannot be my disciple ; and whosoever does not bear 
his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." 
And again he said : " Whosoever he be of you that for- 
saketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." 
Luke 14 : 26, 27, 33. Some things have already been 
said on the subject of self-denial. I notice here, and 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 229 

that i)ut briefly, the duty of taking up our cross daUy and 
follow Christ. 

" Christians," saith Luther, " are cross-bearers." It 
is in their hearts to bear the cross, whatever it be, and 
vjrhensoever Christ shall require it. This was the great 
test of sincerity in the days of our Lord and his apostles. 
At that time openly to profess to be a disciple, and to 
be baptized, would inevitably expose both Jew and Gen- 
tile to take up a heavy cross indeed. To be stripped 
of all, and to become the object of hatred and the subject 
of persecution, was the common lot of all the followers 
of the meek and lowly Jesus. There was then com- 
paratively but little danger of a hypocritical profession. 
But in our days, and especially in this happy country of 
religious liberty, I fear the true cross-bearers are but 
few. For to bear the cross does not mean to carry a 
wooden cross on the shoulder, nor to chain a golden one 
around the neck, as the Roman Catholic does ; nor does 
it mean merely to go down into the water. No, my be- 
loved brethren. Let us not deceive ourselves. To 
whatever sneer, reproach, or loss our observing this 
sacred ordinance in the apostolic and primitive manner 
may expose us, this is not obeying the command of 
Christ, to " take up the cross and follow him." It may 
be truth, but it is not the whole truth. Baptism is ad- 
ministered but once, but we must take up our cross daily. 
Luke 9 : 23. " No cross, no crown," is an unchange- 
able truth. It is a fact in this country, as well as in any 
other, that " all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall 
suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3 : 12. A mere form of 
godliness, without any direct connexion with the doctrine 
of faith in a crucified Saviour, or a mere profession of 
that faith, without the example of a godly life, might be 
endured and tolerated ; but whoever is determined to lim 

20 



230 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

a godly life, in dependance on the atonement and grace 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and according to his precepts^ 
will certainly be exposed, more or less, in one form or 
other, to undergo persecution from the hands or tongues 
of the seed of the old serpent, that is ever full of enmity 
against the seed of the woman. Hence saith the in- 
spired apostle : '' As then he that was born after the flesh 
persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it 
is now." Gal. 4 : 29. 

From the moment Christ crucified was exhibited in 
Paradise as the object of faith, it became the lot of be- 
lievers to bear the cross of affliction and persecution. 
Cain, Adam's first-born, " slew his brother. And where- 
fore slew he him ? because his own works were evil 
and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, 
if the world hate you." 1 John 3 : 11, 12. It is no 
new thing, " for so persecuted they the prophets." Matt. 
5 : 12. Nor did they spare the Lord of glory. Thus 
saith our blessed Redeemer : " If the world hate you, ye 
know that it hated me before it hated you." John 15 : 
18. Surely the disciple cannot expect to be honoured 
above his master. Besides, " God hath predestinated 
ns to be conformed to the image of his Son." Rom. 8 : 
29. Therefore "no man should be moved by these 
afflictions ; for yourselves know that we are appointed 
thereunto." 1 Thess. 3 : 3. Jesus Christ and his 
apostles have frequently forewarned us of these things : 
*' The brother shall betray the brother to death, and the 
father the son ; and children shall rise up against their 
parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And 
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." Mark 
13 : 12, 13. " If ye were of the world, the world would 
love its own ; but because ye are not of the world, but 
I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world 



ESSAY VI. J PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 231 

kateth you." John 15 : 19. "In the world ye shall 
have tribulation." John 16 : 33. And when Paul and 
Barnabas confirmed the souls of th^ disciples, and ex- 
horted them to continue in the faith, they assured them 
^* that we must through much tribulation enter into the 
kingdom of God." Acts 14 : 22. 

Thus, my beloved brethren, it appears, from the above 
passages of Scripture, which might have been greatly 
multiplied, that the true disciples of Christ are the 
objects of the world's hatred, and subjects of manifold 
tribulations and persecutions. That it has been so from 
the giving forth of the first promise of the Messiah 
until his death on the cross, and from that period to the 
present time, history abundantly confirms : nor, indeed, 
can, or will, it be otherwise while there is rage or malice 
in Satan, enmity in the world, and necessity, even from 
the sufferers themselves, to promote their present and 
future happiness. 

Here, then, let us pause for a moment, and inquire 
seriously and faithfully whether we have taken up our 
cross and followed the Lord Jesus in a manner he ex- 
pects all his disciples to do. What have we suffered 
for the truths of Christ 1 What have we parted with 
rather than deny the truths of the gospel ? Do we 
^* strive for the faith delivered to the saints ?" Are we 
resolved rather to die than to give up any part of the 
truth as it is in Jesus 1 Have we suffered anything for 
the worship of Christ ? Do we deny ourselves and take 
up the cross, rather than " forsake the assembling of 
ourselves together, as the manner of some is ?" The 
true disciples of Jesus, like the Prophet Daniel, would 
rather submit to be cast into the lion's den than omit 
prayer ; or to be east into the fiery furnace rather than 
worship another God. But oh, my soul ! Alas ! how 



232 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

many who profess to be the disciples of Christ frequent- 
ly neglect the saitctuary, because there is a lion of their 
own imagination in the way. A little too hot or a little 
too cold, a little too dusty or a little too damp is a cross 
too heavy to be borne, and a sufficient excuse to neglect 
the ordinances of Christ's house. Many, alas ! it is to 
be feared, neglect both secret and family prayer, lest 
they should lose too much time from their worldly con- 
cerns. The importance of the subject, I trust, will 
justify my dwelling so long on this particular ; yet the 
half has not been told. I proceed to notice 

BrotJierly love as the second characteristic of a true 
disciple of Christ. We have already seen that this is 
one of our Lord's commands to his disciples, enjoined 
by him in a most emphatical manner. Its true nature 
and importance also having been pointed out, a remark 
or two shall suffice in this place. 

** By this," saith our Lord, " shall all men know that 
ye are my disciples, if ye have love ones to another." 
John 13 : 35. Hence it is evident that the love which 
our Lord requires is not a mere latent, inactive principle 
in the heart, for no man could know them by that ; but 
a fervent, active, beneficial love ; a love in deed and in 
truth, appearing by its most genuine fruits and effiects 
in the whole of their conduct toward each other, so as 
strikingly to distinguish them from all the world besides, 
and mark them out to all men as his disciples. " This 
love," saith an able writer, " consists not in speculative 
ideas of general benevolence floating in the head, and 
leaving the heart, as speculations often do, untouched 
and cold ; neither is it confined to that indolent good 
nature which makes us rest satisfied with being free from 
inveterate malice or ill-will to our fellow-creatures^ 
without prompting us to be of service to any. True lave 



^SSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 233 

is of an active principle. It is not properly a single 
virtue, but a disposition residing in the heart as a foun- 
tain, whence all the virtues of benignity, candour, for- 
bearance, generosity, compassion, and liberality flow as 
so many native streams." 

Nor is there any danger of exceeding the boundaries 
of brotherly love. Christ's love to his people is the 
noble pattern for our imitation, as well as the powerful 
example to enforce it. Brethren, let us carefully con- 
sider and faithfully obey the following directions : ** I 
have given you an example, that ye should do as I have 
done unto you." " This is my commandment, that ye 
love one another as I have loved you ; greater love hath 
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his 
friends." " Hereby perceive we the love of God, because 
he laid down his life for us ; and we ought to lay down 
our lives for the brethren." " Herein is love, not that 
we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to 
be a propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved 
us, we ought also to love one another." John 13 : 15; 
15 : 12, 13. 1 John 3 : 16 ; 4 : 10, 11. 

Besides self-denial and brotherly love, I will name 
but one more characteristic of Christ's^ disciples, viz., 
fruitfulness. For thus said our blessed Lord : " Herein 
is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; so shall 
ye be my disciples." John 15:8. The disciples of 
Christ constitute his church, of which the Jewish con- 
gregation, under the metaphor of a vineyard and oliv© 
tree, were but a type ; and if of them, the mere shadow^ 
the Lord expected many and good fruits, how much 
more from them who are the substance : not that their 
fruitfulness is to make or constitute them the disciples of 
Christ, but as the evidence that they are such in reality. 
Just as the good fruit does not make the tree good, for it 

20* 



234 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

is the goodness of the tree that produces the good fruit, 
but shows it to be good. The Lord Jesus Christ himself, 
who is the God of nature as well as of grace, has illus- 
trated this subject in the best manner possible. Let us 
hear the gracious words which proceeded from his lips : 
" Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's 
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye 
shall know them by. their fruits. Do men gather grapes 
of thorns or figs of thistles ? even so every good tree 
bringeth forth good fruit ; but a corrupt tree bringeth 
forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil, 
fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn 
down and cast into the fire. Wherefore hy their fruit 
ye shall know them." Matt. 7 : 15-20. 

The necessity of fruitfulness or good works, I fear, is 
misunderstood by many, whose hearts, we trust, are 
better than their heads. While some are exceedingly 
zealous for good works, thereby to obtain salvation, as 
if Christ had done nothing ; others neglect almost every 
Christian duty, under the pretext that Christ has merited 
every blessing, and that God will do his own work. 
Hence family worship, morning and evening prayer and 
praise, and the reading of the sacred Scriptures is totally 
omitted by not a few of the disciples of Christ. The 
religious instruction of their dear children by admoni- 
tions and exhortations, by catechisms and bible questions, 
or in Sunday schools, i« reprobated as making hypo- 
crites ; and to promote any religious institution, such as 
missionary societies, bible, tract, or Sunday school 
societies, is looked upon, not only as unnecessary and 
useless, but as interfering with God's prerogative of 
converting sinners. 

Some of you, my beloved brethren, may think this 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 235 

Statement overcharged. So should I, were my judgment 
of men's conduct formed by the nature of the holy 
religion they profess. But, alas ! I am recording facts 
which mine eyes and ears have too often witnessed 
during my last thirty years pilgrimage in the old and new 
world. Dear reader, I beseech you, by all that is sacred 
and valuable, seriously to listen to the voice of con- 
science. Does it say, like the prophet, " thou art the 
man." Oh ! take care not to silence it by vain excuses. 
Repent of the too long neglected duties and privileges, 
and be zealous to perform and maintain good works. 
The immense importance of correct ideas on this subject 
may require and justify a brief statement of the different 
kinds and qualities of the good works or fruits expected 
by our blessed Redeemer. 

With respect to the kinds, I would observe that the 
expression good works, so frequently used in the Word 
of God, is a very comprehensive term. Besides acts of 
charity, it includes all the duties and employments of 
religion, and all performances and actions whereby we 
may glorify God and adorn our Christian profession. 
The disciples of Christ must abound in all the acts of 
worship, both internal and external. The former are 
the life of their souls ; and the latter the comfort^ 
strength, and support, the songs in the house of their 
pilgrimage, and their refreshing by the way. To be 
diligent in business is a duty, as well as to h^ fervent in 
spirit serving God. To labour six days is a good work, 
as well as to rest on the seventh. God has sent none 
into the world to be idle. As his own beloved Son had 
his work to do, so have all his children. Hence the 
apostolic exhortation : " Let ours also learn to maintain 
good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruit- 
ful." Titus 3: 14. When John's hearers came to 



236 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

know what they should do, he refers every one to his 
calling. Luke 3: 10-12. "Without these good works," 
saith a pious writer, " we are drones in the common 
hives, yea, burdens upon the earth." It is scarcely 
necessary to mention that' those who are zealous of 
good works must not be deficient in works of righteous- 
ness and justice. They must hurt none, give to every 
one his awn, and use fidelity in every relation and en- 
gagement. Like the great apostle of the Gentiles, they 
must " exercise themselves to have always a conscience 
void of offence toward God and toward men." The 
credit of religion is much concerned in the just dealings 
of its professors. Hence said the prophet, when re- 
buking the nobles and the rulers for taking usury ; " It is 
not good that ye do ; ought ye not to walk in the fear 
of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen, our 
enemies ?" Neh. 5 : 9. Oh, my beloved brethren, how 
just and important is the following remark. May it be 
deeply engraven by the finger of God on the heart of 
every reader. " If this page was written in tears, 
printed in blood, enclosed in black lines, and read with 
groanings that cannot be uttered, even this would be 
too feeble an expression of the author's grief for that 
want of Christian consistency which it has been his 
calamity to witness in what is called the religious world, 
and which renders it so necessary for him to insist on 
the importance of uniform piety. The want of this in 
the conduct of professing Christians has done more 
harm to Christianity than all the ravings of infidelity 
from the time of Cain to the death of Paine. This 
sacred and deathless cause lifts her venerable form, 
bearing the scars of many a wound, not inflicted by 
arrows plumed by the pen of Voltaire or Hume ; oh, no ; 
&uch weapons bounded from her bosom as from a shield 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 237 

of triple brass, and dropped at her feet, to be deposited 
with the spoils of her victories ; but the darts that lace- 
rated her, and left the memorials of their mischief upon 
her form, were the vices and follies of her votaries. 

"Oh! Christians, will ye scourge and lacerate her? will 
ye array her in the costume of scorn, and, leading her 
forth, bleeding and dejected, to meet her enemies in the 
gate, proclaim, * Behold, an impostor !' Will ye assist 
to raise the clamour which infidel philosophers endea- 
voured to excite, and stir up the multitude to exclaim, 
' Away with her, away with her ! Crucify her, crucify 
her !' Tremble at the thought. If Christianity ever 
die, it will not be in the field of conflict, by the power 
of her enemies, but, like Caesar, in the caphol, by the 
hands of her friends ; and which of us would like to 
meet the look of her expiring eye or the mild reproach 
of her faltering tongue ? * What, thou my son !' But 
she cannot die ; wounded she may be, and has been ; 
but the memorials of her injury are the proofs of her 
immortality, and proclaim her to be of heavenly origin : 
like the fabled scars of the heathen gods of Greece and 
Rome, her wounds demonstrably show that a divinity 
sustained her. 

" Still, however, the inconsistencies of professing 
Christians may limit her reign, although they cannot 
destroy her existence. By these things sinners are har- 
dened in their courses, the access of life rendered more 
difficult, while the avenues of eternal death are made 
more wide and easy. That man whose conduct opposes 
his profession may certainly be arraigned for the crime of 
murder. Let him not go quietly to his pillow, as if blood- 
guiltiness were not upon his conscience ; for it is there, 
and a voice is continually saying to him, ' Thy brother's 
blood crieth to me from the ground.' He has not slain 



238 



ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 



the ^06/yof hisfellovv.mortal,but he has been accessory 
to the death of souls. Some that sought for an apology 
for their sins, an vpiate for their consciences, found it 
in his misconduct J^* 

Nor will the disciples of Christ rest satisfied in a mere 
negative righteousness, " to have done harm to none ;'» 
the benevolence of their renewed nature will, like the 
sap of a good tree, force and extend itself into every 
branch of charity and doing good. " To give to every 
one his own, and injure none," as the common saying is, 
to be strictly honest, is right and good, and would to God 
it were really so with all ; but, to be a good man, a very 
land and bountiful benefactor is a great deal better. The 
apostle seems to have considered the difference between 
these characters in the same light as that of a man be- 
fore and after his conversion to God. " For scarcely 
for a righteous man will one die ; yet,peradventure,for a 
good man some would even dare to die. But God com- 
mendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet 
sinners, Christ died for us ; much more, then, being now 
justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath 
through him ; for if, when we were enemies, we were 
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, 
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Rom! 
5 : 7-10. The apostle's meaning is plain and his rea- 
soning cogent. His design evidently was to answer an 
objection that might be brought against his assertion in 
5 : 5, that the believer's hope shall not make him 
ashamed. Some might say, although we are justified 
and enjoy peace, &c., yet we may be left to apostatize. 
The apostle reasons from the greatness of God's love to 
them before their conversion, that he would not suffer 
them to perish afterward ; and the greatness of this love 
* Church Member's Guide. 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 239 

appears by Christ's dying for us when we were neither 
good nor righteous, but sinners, ungodly and enemies. 
And as the disciples of Christ are to be ready always to 
do every good work, in like manner they will not be at 
a loss to find objects of benevolence. Besides the poor 
which they have always with them, there is yet a world 
lying in wickedness : hundreds of millions perishing 
for the lack of knowledge, and multitudes crying, " come 
over and help us !" Let those whom God has called to 
the most honourable employment of a missionary*, go forth, 
" preaching among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches 
of Christ ;" let others cast their mites as God has pros- 
pered them, into the treasury of the different religious 
societies, the glory of the present generation ; and let 
those who have no mite to give, abound in the best of 
good works, fervent and believing prayers unto the Lord 
of the harvest. 

But it is high time to say a few words respecting the 
qualities of the fruits which the Lord of the vineyard 
expects. 1. They must be good fruits, and not wild 
grapes. Acts of goodness opposed to sinful acts. The 
fruits of the Spirit opposed to the fruits of the flesh, these 
are carnal, selfish, and earthly ; those are fruits of holi- 
ness and righteousness ; such as acts of piety toward 
God, of justice toward men, and of sobriety toward our- 
selves. Tit. 2 : 12. They are good fruits when brought 
forth ww^o God ; Rom. 7:4; when our thoughts, words, 
and actions are with reference to him : out of obedience 
to his will, to serve, please, and honour him. If such be 
the spring, the matter, and the end of our fruits, they are 
good and well-pleasing in the sight of God. 

We observe, however, that these fruits must be real, 
A mere show or appearance of fruit will not suffice. 
The fig tree mentioned in the gospel had leaves, a sign 



24.Q ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

of fruitfulness ; but, being barren, it was cursed and wi* 
thered. It is pleasant to see a tree in full bloom and blos« 
soni ; but without fruit it is useless to the husbandman, 
and greatly disappoints his expectations. Even so " if 
a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 
and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye 
warmed and filled — notwithstanding ye give them not 
those things which are needful to the body — what does 
it profit ?" James 2 : 15, 16. 

Seasonableness is another quality of Christian fruitful- 
ness. The righteous is like a " tree planted by the 
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his sea- 
son," Ps. 2 : 3, when it is most beautiful and most 
useful. For " there is a season for everything." Eccl. 
3 : 1. To be patient when we are provoked is good 
fruit, but not when we hear God blasphemed. Spiritual 
rejoicing is an excellent fruit, but not when we go into 
the house of mourning. When graces are in exercise 
in proper season, they are then more excellent fruits. 
How pleasant to see strong faith under heavy trials, 
meekness under malignant provocations, contentment in 
pinching wants, undaunted courage in imminent danger, 
humility in the midst of applause, and self-denial when 
surrounded with abundance. 

Quantity is particularly noticed by our Lord. " That 
ye bear mwcA fruit." John 15 : 8. Those that enjoy 
the means of grace must not only bring forth fruit, but 
be fruitful, bear abundance. A tree is not full of fruit, 
and so not fruitful, if all the main branches do not bea.r 
and bring forth plenty. Mind and heart and life must 
bring forth fruit in some abundance. Knowledge should 
abound in the mind ; holy affections and spiritual graces 
should abound in the heart ; and out of the " abundance 
of the heart " should the mouth speak," and all other 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 241 

parts act for God, so as " to be always abounding in th« 
work of the Lord." Hence the propriety of attending 
to the apostolic exhortation : " Add to your faith, virtue ; 
and to virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge, tempe- 
rance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to patience, 
godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to 
brotherly kindness, charity : for if these things be in 
you, and abound, they make you that yo shall neither be 
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus 
Christ." 2 Pet. 1 : 5-8. 

In the last place, we would observe that our fruitful- 
ness must be in proportion to our advantages. While 
our Lord expects all his disciples to bring forth much 
fruit, yet he expects more from some than from others, 
according to the rule laid down by himself. " Unto 
whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much re- 
quired ; and to whom men have committed much, of him 
they will ask the more." Luke 12 : 48, Those who 
enjoy the gospel in great light and power ; who have the 
mysteries of it clearly discovered, practically enforced, 
and brought home to mind, conscience, will, and affec- 
tions, so as the light, force, and influence of it may reach 
the whole man, the whole life, and have this continued 
many years ; if they bring not forth more fruit than such 
as have the gospel, but not with such advantages, they 
are wofully and sinfully deceived in fruit-bearing. 

The reasons and motives of fruitfulness are many and 
cogent, but must be omitted at present ; and we will pro- 
ceed to name the design of baptism as a third argument 
to enforce obedience to all Christ's commands. 

It is unnecessary to mention either the many unscrip- 
tural designs of this sacred ordinance, as held by some, 
or all the true ones, as held by our denomination. It is 
sufficient, my beloved brethren, to remind you that we 

21 



242 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

consider it an emblem or sign of our being regenerated 
or born of the Spirit ; and a symbolical representation of 
our spiritual death, burial, and resurrection. Our belief 
on this subject is abundantly confirmed by the following 
passages of Scripture, to which the reader will do well 
to refer : John 3 : 5. Tit. 3:5. 1 Pet. 3 : 21, 22. 
Rom. 6: 1-13. Col. 2 : 12, 13. Hence it evidently 
appears to be our duty to hate sin, to love the brethren, 
and to be zealous of good works ; for these are the cha- 
racteristics of them that are born of God. With what 
holy indignation does the apostle in the foregoing pas- 
sages spura at the supposition of a baptized Christian 
living in sin ! How just and powerful his arguments, 
" to live in newness of life !" 

Self-righteous pride and antinomian licentiousness 
are two fatal rocks, on which immense multitudes are 
continually wrecked, and between which none but the 
Holy Spirit can pilot us ; and the objections of open 
enemies to the doctrines of grace derive their greatest 
plausibility from the unholy lives of many professed 
friends. " Every true believer abhors the thought of 
thus perfecting the gospel and despising the riches of 
divine grace ; and, could he be led to think that he might 
go on in sin with impunity, he would be kept back by 
a strong aversion from it ; for how can he, in whose 
heart those principles are mortified which gave rise to 
his former sinful courses, continue in those practises 
which he now has no pleasurein, but loathes and dreads.'* 
Scott, 

I close this argument by referring the reader, with 
pleasure, to the excellent sermon on the Design of Bap- 
tism, by Professor Irak Chase. 

The fourth argument to enforce obedience to the com- 
mands of Christ is, the glory of God and the honour of 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 243 

religion. To glorify God is the chief end of man. 
When God's own son became a son of man, it was his 
meat and drink to glorify his father by doing his will. 
How much more ought we, who are not only the crea- 
tures of his power and pensioners of his bounty, but 
also the purchase of his blood. Hence saith the apos- 
tle : " Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a 
price : therefore glorify God in your body and in your 
spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. And this 
duty is as extensive as it is reasonable. " Whether, 
therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all 
to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10 : 31. 

We glorify God, not by adding anything to his essen- 
tial glory, for that is infinite, and cannot be increased ; 
but dedaratively , declaring that He is glorious, by giving 
a testimony to his glorious perfections, making it appear 
that He is glorious. Now, there is a voice in good fruits 
or works of obedience that declares this, a light which 
discovers and makes it apparent to others ; and thus en- 
gages them to acknowledge it, and thereby glorify Him. 
Hence saith our blessed Saviour : " Herein is my father 
glorified, that ye bear much fruit T John 15 : 8. And 
again : " Let your light so shine before men, that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your Father which 
is in heaven." Matt. 5 ; 16. Now, if to bring forth fruit 
is to glorify God, then it is our greatest perfection and 
highest excellency to do so ; for angels themselves can 
do nothing better, nothing higher. True, they glorify 
him more, but they can do no more than glorify him. 

As the glory of God, so likewise the honour of religion 
is connected with our fruitfulness. We are exhorted " to 
adorn the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things.- ' Tit, 
2 : 10. The church is the Lord's garden, and it is 
adorned by the fruitfulness of its trees. Barrenness or 



244 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

bad fruil is a disgrace, and makes the garden ill spoken 
of; but a holy and useful life will stop the mouth of 
gainsayers. See Rom. 2 : 2^4. 1 Pet. 2:15. I close 
this particular by adopting for you, my beloved brethrei^, 
and for myself, the apostolic prayer, that " the God of 
peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, 
that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of 
the everlasting covenant, make us perfect in every good 
work, to do his will, working in us that which i& well- 
pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be 
glory for ever and ever. Amen." Heb. 13^: 20,21. 

The last argument I shall use to enforce obedience to 
Christ's commands is, its indispensable necessity for the 
obtaining of an assurance of our personal interest in 
Christ. That such an as&urance may be obtained is evi- 
dent from the nature of the thing itself. The criterion by 
which we are to judge of our spiritual state is precisely 
the same as that whereby we determine the nature and 
value of things around us : for our blessed Lord him- 
self hath told us, as has been mentioned above, that, as 
we know the different kinds and comparative excellence 
of trees by their fruits, so we may ascertain by our works 
whether we be real or only nominal Christians. It is 
farther evident from many passages of Scripture, such 
as make it our duty to obtain it with all diligence ; see 
2 Pet. 1 : 10. 2 Cor. 13 : 5. Heb. 6:11; such as 
record saints in the Old or New Testament who had 
obtained it ; see Job 19 : 25. P«. 17 : 15 ; 103 : 2, 3. 
Gal. 2 ; 20. 1 Tim. 1 : 12. 2 Tim. 4 : 8, 9. Heb. 
10 : 34 ; and such as describe the evidences by which 
we are to ascertain it ; 1 John 3: 10, 14, 19, 21. 

Nor ought we to overlook the importance of the subject* 
It is not only a Christian duty expressly required, as 
appears from the Scriptures j-ust named, but it is ex^ 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 245 

ceedingly useful in our journey through this wilderness 
world. Although we do not consider it necessary unto 
salvation, yet it is a privilege of inestimable worth. 
Though our holy and useful life is not the ground of our 
hope and confidence, yet it is an evidence ; and the be- 
liever's comfort may be increased by the sight of good 
works, though it be not built on them. They manifest 
a claim and title to the crown, but do no merit it. We 
never can have the Spirit's witness without sanctification 
and purity of heart and life. How beautiful and com- 
prehensive the sentiment of the poet in the following 
hymn, which for many years has been, and ever will be, 
the delightful song in the house of my pilgrimage : 

** When I can read my title clear 
To mansions in the skies, 
I'll bid farewell to every fear, 
And wipe my weeping eyes. 

Should earth against my soul engage, 

And hellish darts be hurl'd, 
Then I can smile at satan's rage, 

And face a frowning world. 

Let cares like a wild deluge come, 

And storms of sorrow fall, 
May I but safely reach my home. 

My God, my heaven, my all. 

There shall I bathe my weary soul 

In seas of heavenly rest, 
And not a wave of trouble roll 

Across my peaceful breast." Watts. 

Should a criminal under sentence of death receive the 
assurance that the sovereign hath pardoned his crime 
and ordered him to be released in a few days, his feelings 
would be inexpressible. But infinitely greater and 
better are the effects of true assurance of hope. " Being 

21* 



246 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

justified by faith, we have peace with God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ ;" Rom. 5 : 1 ; a peace which 
passes all understanding, a tranquillity and serenity of 
mind which is better experienced than expressed. 
When God is at peace with us, conscience is pacified. 
Assurance revives and invigorates religion in the soul. 
It rekindles our first love to God. Love begets love. 
" We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4 : 
19. When Christ had forgiven much to her who had 
sinned much, and had manifested pardoning mercy to her 
soul, oh, how it did influence her love to Christ 1 Luke 
7 : 47. It also fills the soul with holy fear, care, and 
watchfulness. He that travels the road, possessed of a 
rich treasure, is afraid of thieves in every bush. This is 
exemplified in the spouse who had endured many a sad 
day and night in Christ^s absence, and sought him 
sorrowing: but when she had regained his felt and 
sensible presence, she saith : " I found him whom my 
spul loveth : I held him, and would not let him go." 
Cant. 3 : 4. She does not lay by diligence, as if all 
were done ; but is of new taken up, with as great care 
to retain and improve this mercy, as before she was 
solicitous to obtain it. Assurance makes us active and 
lively in God's service. It excites prayer, and quiekens 
in duty. As diligence begets assurance, so assurance 
begets diligence. Doubts and fears discourage our 
hearts and weaken our hands, but an assurance of God's 
favour produces joy, and " the joy of the Lord is our 
strength." It is like the spirit in EzekiePs wheels, 
which moved and lifted them on high. When this 
generous principle influences the soul, wisdom's ways 
are not only th^ ways of duty, but of pleasantness, and 
all her paths are peace ; the statutes of the Lord then 
rejoice the heart ; the commaadmentsof God are no longer 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 247 

grievous ; more to be desired are they than gold, yea, 
than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey or the 
honey-comb. The real Christian lives in his own ele- 
ment when he is living in obedience to them ; he sees 
the beauty and excellency of walking in sweet submis- 
sion to the holy mind and will of God ; and his con- 
tinual desire, wish, and prayer is, oh, that my ways 
were made so direct that I might always keep thy 
righteous judgment. 

Assurance enables the believer to bear affliction with 
fortitude, and to meet death with joy and courage. He 
not only rejoices in the hope of glory, but in the way to 
it ; " he glories even in tribulations, knowing that tribu- 
lation worketh patience ; and patience, experience ; and 
experience, hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed, because 
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy 
Ghost, which is given unto us." Rom. 5 : 3-5. That 
the assurance of eternal glory is the best support under 
all temporal calamities, is evident from the following 
reasonings of the inspired apostle : " For this cause we 
faint not ; but, though our outward man perish, yet the 
inward man is renewed day by day ; for our light afflic- 
tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while we 
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things 
which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are 
temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal : 
for we know (or are assured) that, if our earthly house 
of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building 
of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens." 2 Cor. 4 : 16-18; 5:1. The apostle here 
supposes the worst of the case, viz., that our temporal 
afflictions are so grievous as to issue in death, an entire 
dissolution of our earthly house or tabernacle ; yU 



248 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

(saith he) even then we faint not, because we hope for 
everlasting habitations ; and if this hope can support the 
soul under the last and most exquisite distress of nature, 
much more under the lighter burdens of life. He that 
has a Scriptural assurance of having passed from spiritual 
death unto life, needs not fear death natural. He that 
can say with David, " Jehovah is my shepherd," may 
also add, " though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me : 
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Ps. 23 : 1, 4. 
If with the apostle we can say, " for me to live is 
Christ," we may also add, " and to die is gain." Phil. 
1:21. And with him, too, we may " desire to depart 
and be with Christ, which is far better." 

Such, my beloved brethren, are some. of the blessed 
consequences flowing from an assured interest in the 
salvation of Christ. It is this which animates the peo- 
ple of God with a noble disdain of the sinful pleasures 
and vain pursuits of this present life ; it is this which 
makes them, like Moses, esteem the reproaches they 
suflfer for Christ's sake, greater riches than all the 
treasures of this world ; it is this which inspires them 
with a kind of supernatural magnanimity and fortitude 
against every difiiculty and trial they may meet with in 
their way to eternal bliss ; it is this that makes them 
triumph in the face of all opposition, and say, " who 
shall separate us from the love of Christ 1 shall tribula- 
tion, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or famine, 
or peril, or sword ? We are persuaded that neither life, 
nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, 
nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from 
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord." 
Rom. 8 : 35-39. 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 249 

Beloved brethren, what can be happier amid the num- 
berless vanities and vexations which accompany worldly 
pleasures, than to be able to derive from an assurance 
of our salvation pleasures suitable to intelligent crea- 
tures, immortal souls ? What can be happier amid all 
the pains, labours, and miseries with which life abounds, 
than to enjoy the plentiful consolations that issue from 
a well-grounded hope of eternal felicity ? Above all, 
what can be more capable of supporting us against the 
fear of death ? Mortal and dying as we are, in a state 
where the smallest alteration in the body reminds us of 
death, what can we wish for more conformable to our 
wants than to find in a firm hope of eternal felicity a 
shield to secure us against the enemy, and a sword to 
destroy him ? Let us strive, let us pray, let us venture 
all to arrive at this happy state. 

Several other important consequences flow from as- 
surance, which might have been mentioned; but it is 
more than time to close this long address, and which I 
hasten to do, by showing that such assurance cannot be 
obtained without a sincere endeavour to " observe all 
things whatever Christ has commanded." To build 
upon any other foundation is building upon sand, which 
cannot withstand the floods and storms of God's wrath, 
and must consequently fall ; and great will be the fall 
thereof. True assurance is neither easily nor suddenly 
to be attained. It requires much labour, self-denial, and 
vigilance ; an extensive knowledge in religion, a long 
acquaintance with the heart, much experience, self-dis- 
cipline, and strong faith ; and is the fruit of a steady, 
uniform, habitual practice of universal piety, accompa- 
nied by the powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, 
*' bearing witness with our spirits, that we are the chil- 
dren of God." Nor can it be supposed that a privilege 



250 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

SO invaluable should be suddenly attainable. They, 
therefore, who are forward to boast of their assurance, 
and how easily they came by it, are justly to be suspect- 
ed of lying under the power of a strong and most awful 
delusion. 

Of the extreme folly and danger of such persons, Mr. 
Saurin speaks thus : " To consider religion always on 
the comfortable side ; to congratulate one's self for 
having obtained the end before we have made use of 
the means ; to stretch the hand to receive the crown of 
righteousness before they have been employed to fight 
the battle ; to be content with a false peace, and to use 
no efforts to obtain the graces to which true consolation 
is annexed ; this is a dreadful calm, like that which 
some voyagers describe, and which is a very singular 
forerunner of a very terrible event. All on a sudden, in 
the wide ocean, the sea becomes calm, the surface of 
the water clear as crystal, smooth as glass, the air 
serene ; the unskilful passenger becomes tranquil and 
happy, but the old mariner trembles ; in an instant the 
waves froth, the winds murmur, the heavens kindle, a 
thousand gulfs open, a frightful light inflames the air, 
and every wave threatens sudden death. This is an 
image of most men's assurance of salvation." Vol. 3, 
ser. 10. 

That there is danger of deceiving ourselves in this 
matter, of all others the most important, is evident from 
our Lord's declaration that many will find themselves 
thus deceived on the last and final day of account. His 
memorable words are these : " Not everyone that saith 
unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter in the kingdom of 
heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my father which 
is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day. Lord, 
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 251 

name have cast out devils ? and in thy name done many 
wonderful works ? And then will I profess unto them, 
I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work ini- 
quity." Matt. 7 : 21-23. 

Let us guard, then, my beloved brethren, against build- 
ing our assurance on mere feelings, the effects of our 
own imaginations. Oh, how many have I met with who 
professed to have obtained a hope of being in the way to 
heaven, and which had filled their heart with joy and 
gladness ! but, being asked when and how they obtained 
that hope, some said " that God had told them in a 
dream that their sins were pardoned, and that he was 
now their reconciled father ;" others replied that " they 
had been favoured with a vision in the night of a dear 
departed friend, who assured them of a mansion being 
prepared for them in glory ;" others, " that they had 
seen a bright angel, or perhaps the Lord Jesus himself, 
saying, * be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven ;' " 
and not a few replied that " they had put their finger 
into the bible, and, on opening, found it lighted on a 
gracious promise," &c. Gracious Lord, keep us all from 
such delusions ! Is this the way to " read our title clear 
to mansions in the skies ?" Is this the way to prove 
that we are the heirs of the heavenly inheritance 1 
Would men act thus m their worldly concerns 1 Surely 
not. Well might our blessed Lord say, " the children 
of this world are in their generation wiser than the chil- 
dren of light." Luke 16: 8. For what should we 
think of the man who applies to a counsellor to defend 
his claim to the estate of a person lately deceased, upon 
no better title than his earnest desire to possess it, be- 
cause the lease of his present habitation is just expiring, 
and cannot be renewed ; and his inexpressible joy and 
1 gladness of heart, arising from a full assurance of hope 



252 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

that he shall obtain it, according to a revelation from 
heaven, made to him in a dream or vision, &;c. What 
counsellor in his senses would undertake such a cause ? 
How ridiculous would both appear before judge and jury ? 
Yet not a whit better is the title to the heavenly inheri- 
tance of the persons mentioned above. But very dif- 
ferent is the case of the man who, having seen, and read, 
and diligently examined the will, and being perfectly 
certain that he is the person described therein, feels an 
inexpressible joy and gladness of heart, and an earnest 
desire of possessing it. Sensible, however, that he may 
be mistaken in his judgment, and to prevent disappoint- 
ment, he applies to a counsellor to examine and compare 
his credentials with the characteristics mentioned in the 
will, and to give him his opinion. No counsellor would 
be surprised at such an application, nor refuse to com- 
ply. And, having attended to the business, and found 
the man's opinion correct, he would congratulate him 
and say, " my friend, I have examined your credentials, 
and find them answerable to the will, and I have now 
the pleasure to bear witness with your spirit (mind, judg- 
ment, or conscience) that you are the rightful heir of 
the inheritance." This man now departs in peace. And, 
while his joy is increased with the confirmation of his 
title, he feels a proportioned increase of love and grati- 
tude to the testator for having made him, who had been 
his sworn enemy, and whom he might have brought to 
condign punishment, his sole heir of a rich and beauti- 
ful inheritance. 

Take this latter case, my beloved brethren, as an 
illustration of the Scriptural way to obtain true assu- 
rance : for God has not only revealed that he had pre- 
pared a kingdom from the foundation of the world, and 
that our blessed Lord has gone to heaven to prepare 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 253 

mansions ; but he has also clearly and fully described, 
in the sacred Scriptures, the will of the testator, the 
characteristics of the heirs of that kingdom. By these 
characteristics, therefore, we must diligently compare 
ourselves, and if we find both to agree, we have then 
reason to rejoice in the hope of glory. Yet, to make our 
hope sure, we ought to apply, by frequent prayer and 
earnest supplications, to the Holy Spirit for his aid, 
counsel, and witness ; and when his testimony agrees 
with ours, we may then rejoice in the full assurance of 
hope to the inheritance of the saints in light. 

Hence saith the learned Witsius : " In what manner 
do believers attain the assurance of their election? 
Who has ascended up into heaven ? or who, with a pry- 
ing eye, has perused the volume of God's decrees and 
secrets ? Who has looked into the heart of God ? We 
are here, indeed, to guard against rash presumption. But 
what God has from eternity determined about the salva- 
tion of his people, he declares to them in time by signs 
that cannot deceive them. He has given them two 
books, from which they may gather what is sufficient to 
know, that they are written in the book of life : namely, 
the booh of Scripture and the hook of conscience. In the 
book of Scripture the distinguishing marks of election, 
as effectual calling by the Word and Spirit of God, 
Rom. 8 : 30, faith in God and Christ, 2 Thess. 2 : 13, 
hatred and eschewing of evil, 2 Tim. 2 : 19, the sin- 
cere and constant study of holiness, Eph. 1 : 4j 2 
Thess. 2 : 13, are drawn out with great exactness. In 
the book of conscience every one may read, if he give 
that proper diligence which a matter of such impor- 
tance requires, whether these marks be within him." 
On the Covenant, 

Now, although a child of God may possess the cha- 
22 



254 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. *^ 

racteristics of the heirs of salvation, and yet not enjoy the 
witness of the Holy Spirit, yet the Spirit never bears 
his vritness to a person who is destitute of these cha- 
racteristics. Hence appears the absolute necessity of a 
sincere endeavour to keep all Christ's commandments, 
for they comprise all the characteristics and marks of 
the children of God. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, 
" giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue ; and to 
irirtue,. knowledge ; and to knowledge, temperance ; and 
to temperance, patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and 
to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kind- 
SQess, charity : for if these things be in you, and abound, 
they make you that ye shall be neither barren nor 
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ; 
wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make 
your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things 
ye shall never fall." Amen and Amen. 

I proceed, in the second place, to address a few words 
to the members of Pedobaptist churches. Permit me, 
Hiy beloved brethren, to invite very affectionately your 
most serious attention to the substance of the first of 
these Essays, wherein it has been shown, and that from 
the very writings of the most eminent Pedobaptist 
divines, that a positive institution or law originates 
entirely in the sovereign willoi God ; that the obligation 
to observe them arises, not from the goodness of the 
things themselves, but from the authority of God ; that 
the laws which determine the matter, manner, and 
signification must, therefore, be plain and express ; that 
they admit of no commutation, mutilation, or alteration ; 
that there are no accidental parts of a positive institution ; 
that it is unlawful to conform io any part of a religious 
rite without a divine warrant ; that it is at our peril to 
continue ignorant of the will of God relating to his 



ESSAY VI.] PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 255 

positive appointments, and great presumption to make 
light of them ; and that a disposition to obey God in his 
positive institutions is part of that " holiness, without 
which none shall see the Lord." Such, my dear reader, 
are the sentiments of the great, the pious, and the learned 
Bishops Burnet, Butler, and Taylor ; Drs. Doddridge, 
Grosvenor, Goodman, Owen, Sherlock, and Jonathan 
Edwards, and a cloud of other witnesses whose praise 
is in the churches of Christ. By these principles every 
Baptist is guided in his judgment and practice with 
respect to the subjects and mode of the sacred ordinance. 
But let me ask you, my brother, for a reason '* of the 
hope within you " that you shall escape the displeasure 
and frowns of the blessed Redeemer in neglecting this 
sacred and divine ordinance. Do you say, " I have been 
baptized," let me ^sk when B.ni how? Do you reply, 
** in infancy,^' ^^ who has required this at your hands ?" 
Do not the above-mentioned divines, with a host of 
others, declare that it is ^* unlawful to conform to any 
part of a religious rite without a divine warrant ?" and 
do not they themselves acknowledge, as has been shown 
aihove, that there is neither precept nor example to b^ 
found in the bible for infant baptism 1 Is it not, there^. 
fore, dear reader, of the utmost importance to the peace 
and comfort of your soul to ascertain whether the blessed 
Redeemer, whom you profess to love and obey, looks 
upon your having been sprinkled in infancy as your owa 
act of faith and obedience to his divine institution, or 
whether he does not rather consider it a presumptuous 
act of will-worship, in direct opposition to his revealed 
will, and, therefore, is highly displeased with it. Let 
the judicious Dr. Owen decide the solemn question. 
" All worship," says he, " is obedience ; obedience 
respects authority ; and authority exerts itself in com- 



256 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

mands. And if this authority be not the authority of 
God, the worship performed in obedience unto it is not 
the worship of God, but of him or them whose commands 
and authority are the reason and cause of it. God would 
never allow that the will and wisdom of any of his 
creatures should be the rise, rule, or measure of his 
worship, or any part of it, or anything that belongs unto 
it. This honour he has reserved unto himself ; neither 
will he part with it unto any other. Hence the Scrip- 
tute abounds with severe interdictions and commina- 
lions against those who shall presume to do or appoint 
anything in his worship, besides or beyond his own 
institution. Divine institution alone is that which 
renders anything acceptable unto God. All divine 
service or worship must be resolved into divine ordi* 
nation or institution. A worship not ordained of God, 
is not accepted of God. Adam lost himself and us all 
by his failure therein." On the Heb., ch. 1 : 6 ; 8 : 
5 ; and 9 : 8. 

" All our worship," saith the pious Mr. Hall, " must 
be regulated by gospel institution, that it may be per- 
formed according to the appointment of Christ, as king 
of the church. Who is the daring, insolent worm that 
will presume to dispute the authority or change the or- 
dinances of him who is given to be the head over all 
things to the church. It is most dangerous and presump* 
tuous to add any ceremony or to join any service, on any 
pretence, unto heaven's appointment. This is the most 
criminal rashness,^' Gospel Worship, vol. 1. See Booth 
Ped. Ex., vol. 1, p. 29. 

Upon what divine authority, then, my dear brother, do 
you rest your hope of having obeyed Christ's command 
by being sprinkled when an infant, seeing there is nei- 
ther precept nor example for it in the sacred Scripture ; 



ESSAY VI.] PRiL€Tl€AL IMPROVEMENT. 257 

but rather as much prohibition fpr administering this sa* 
cred ordinance to an infant as to a heathen, Mahometan, 
or unbelieving Jew 1 for the law of the institution re- 
quires that the subject should be first taught, should re- 
pent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, which an in- 
fant is not capable of doing ; and for another to do it for 
the child is as absurd as to imagine that the food eaten 
by the parents is a sufficient nourishment for their off- 
spring. Besides, even if it could be proved, which 
never can be done, that infants are proper subjects for 
this ordinance, still the act of sprinkling instead of dip- 
ping or immersing differs as much from the law of the 
institution as if Abraham had circumcised the thumb of 
the right hand of every male, instead of the member re- 
?quired by the law of the institution. 

Arise, then, my brother, repent and be baptized or 
immersed, in obedience to the command of your Saviour 
Ood. What has been stated is equally applicable to 
those who have been sprinkled as adults after their con- 
version to God. For, though they were proper subjects, 
yet the act of sprinkling was without Scripture precept 
or example, as has been fully shown in Essay IV. The 
pious and indefatigable Mr. Booth, after giving us more 
than eighty quotations from the most learned Pedobaptist 
divines, makes the following observation : " If we ex- 
amine the present prevailing practice of pouring or 
sprinkling upon those principles, rules, and reasonings 
which the most eminent Pedobaptists have laid before 
us in the preceding quotations, we must conclude that 
neither sprinkling nor pouring is warranted by the word 
baptism. Pedob. Ex., vol. 1, p. 79. 

Having already exceeded my limits in the former part 
of this Essay, I am compelled to curtail my address t® 
youj my beloved brethren, but not without hope that, by 

22* 



258 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM, 

the blessing of God on what has been advanced, you 
may be led to see and renounce error, and follow the 
example of our blessed Lord and Saviour through evil 
as well as good report. Yea, firmly believing that truth 
will and must prevail, I cannot close the subject without 
expressing my firm and sure belief that the time is not 
far off when the sacred and solemn ordinance of baptism 
will no more be administered to infants than the Lord's 
supper ; and when it will be no longer said, " sprinkling 
is as good as immersion, and one drop is as good as an 
ocean," than the partaking of the bread only is considered 
as good as the partakinor of both the elements. 

Nor needs it the spirit of a prophet or son of a prophet 
to foretell the way or manner of bringing about this great 
and desirable change. As the order of God's house and 
the purity of his worship have been deformed, corrupted, 
and polluted by ignorant, superstitious, and wicked priests, 
so in like manner must these abominations be removed, 
and order and purity restored, by the propagation of the 
truth as it is in the hihle, from the lips or pens of en- 
lightened, pious, and faithful ministers of Christ, the 
watchmen on the walls of Zion. May the Lord of the 
harvest increase and multiply the number of such labour- 
ers, and to his name be the glory. Amen. 



ESSAY VIL 

Christ^s Church a Baptist Church^ 

My object in this additional Essay is, to show that the 
church of Christ was originally composed of converted 
Jews, who were all Baptists, and that ultimately the 



ESSAY Yir.] THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 259 

heathen nations will be brought into this church by the 
instrumentality of converted Jews, when the church of 
Christ will again be a Baptist church. 

I. That there had been no such institution as the 
church of Christ before the day of Pentecost, has al- 
ready been proved in Essay III., p. 92, &c. 

II. That the church constituted on that day was 
composed of converted Jews, is evident from the Scrip- 
tures. John the Evangelist has informed us that Jesus 
Christ " came unto his own, and his own received him 
not ; but as many as received him, to them gave he 
power to become the sons of God, even to them that 
believe on his name," John 1 : 11, 12. Hence it ap- 
pears that, though the body of the Jews rejected Jesus 
as the promised Messiah, yet there were many who 
did receive him, and many that waited for the consola- 
tion of Israel believed on him; besides many other 
Jews who believed in him, but kept it a secret, for fear 
of the Jews, like Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by 
nighty and Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of 
Jesus secretly. 

On the day of Pentecost, we are told that, besides the 
120 that " were together with one accord and in one 
place," " there were also dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, 
devout men, out of every nation under heaven," and 
Peter addressed them as Jews. Acts 1 : 26 ; 2 : 14, 
22. Out of this multitude 3000 were added to the 
church on the same day, and many thousands afterward, 
And when the Apostle Paul had told the elders of Jerur 
salem what great things the Lord had wrought among 
the Gentiles by his hands, they in return said unto 
him, " Thou seest, brother, how many thousands (or 
rather myriads) of Jews there are which believe ; and 



260 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

they are all zealous of the law." Acts 21 ; 18-20. 
And farther, we read that " the Word of God increased 
and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusa- 
lem greatly, and a great company of the priests were 
obedient to the faith." Acts 6 : 7. 

III. That all these Jews, and all those added afterward 
to the church during the life-time of the apostles, 
whether Jews or Gentiles, were Baptists in principle and 
practice is evident, 1st, from the Scriptures, where im- 
mersion is the only mode mentioned, and the subjects are 
spoken of as believers in Christ. 2. It is evident from 
the confession of the most eminent and learned Pedo- 
baptists. However they differ with respect to the origin 
of pedobaptism, yet they almost universally agree that 
the practice was not known in the first century, as has 
been fully shown in the preceding Essays. 

IV. I proceed to show that, after the Jews have been 
restored to their own land, and converted unto God, they 
-will be Baptists. 

1. That the Jews, as a body, will literally return to 
the land of Canaan, and be afterward converted to God, 
I have fully proved in the 4th part of my Narrative, or 
^* Judah and Israel." 

2. That their return cannot be far off, is evident 
from the period of time spoken of by Daniel, referred 
to by th« Lord Jesus Christ, by the Apostle Paul, and 
in the revelation to St. John. 

The Prophet Daniel speaks thus : " And one said, 
how long shall it be to the end of these wonders ; and 
I heard the man clothed in linen, which -was upon the 
waters of the rivers, when he held up his right hand 
and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that 
iiveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 261 

half ; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter 
the power of the holy people, all these things shall be 
finished." Dan. 12 : 6, 7. 

Three things contained in this prophecy demand our 
notice ; 1, the period of time mentioned. This is called 
a time, times, and half a time. New Testament and 
classical writers use times for years, as we often say so 
many summers or winters. Time, times, and half a 
time is as much as to say three years and a half, each 
year having 360 days, making 1260 days, or as many 
prophetical years. This prophecy is repeated in the 
revelation to St. John, and the same period of time ex- 
pressed by days and months. Thus we read : " The 
court which is without the temple leave out, and mea- 
sure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles ; and the 
holy city shall they tread under foot fortT/ and two 
months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, 
and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and 
three score days, clothed in sackcloth." Rev. 11 : 2, 3. 
Again it is said : " And there was given unto him, i. e., 
the beast, a mouth speaking great things and blasphe- 
mies ; and power was given unto him to continue forty 
and two months.^^ Rev. 13 : 5. We notice next that, 

2. At the end of these 1260 years the mystery or 
wonders shall be finished. From the foregoing passages 
from the Revelation we learn that the mystery or won- 
ders relate to the beast or antichrist, whose power shall 
be destroyed at the close of these 1260 years ; but be- 
fore that mystery is finished, we notice, 

3. That the people of the prophet shall be delivered 
" when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power 
of the holy people," i. e., when the Jews shall be freed 
from the power of those who oppressed them, and 
brought safely to the possession of their land. Seeing, 



262 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

then, that the period for the destructioa of antichrist 
must be near its close, and the Jews are to be restored 
before that event comes to pass, we conclude, therefore, 
that the time for the restoration of the Jews must be near 
at hand. The reader will observe that I said the time 
for the restoration of the Jews cannot he far off, I did 
not attempt to mention the exact year, month, day, nor 
hour when it will be effected : such a precise know- 
ledge of the prophecy is not attainable. We know, and 
are certain, that it must take place hefore the 1260 years 
are expired ; but we are uncertain at what year or month 
they will expire, because we are not certain at what 
year this period of 1260 years had its commencement. 
Thus Daniel knew that the captivity of Israel at Babylon 
would be 70 years ; but, not knowing the exact period 
when these 70 years commenced, he inquired of God 
to know the end. In like manner, the 70 weeks or 
490 years spoken of in Dan. 9th were sufficiently clear 
to point out the near approach of the coming of the 
Messiah ; yet the exact year could not be known with 
certainty, because of the uncertainty when these 70 
weeks commenced, as there were different decrees 
issued concerning their return. Hence great and uni- 
versal expectations concerning the coming of the Mes- 
siah were excited years before his actual incarnation. 

To return to our subject. We observed that our Lord 
referred to this prediction. Speaking of the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, he says : " They shall fall by the 
edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all 
nations ; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the 
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." 
Luke 21: 24. 

Here a fixed term is assigned for the end of the cap- 
tivity or dispersion of Judah ; and that fixed term is the 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCff. 263 

expiration of the times of the Gentiles. What, then, are 
these times of the Gentiles? and to what does our Lord 
refer when he thus speaks of them ? He refers plainly- 
enough to the very passage in Daniel which we have 
been considering ; for such an expression as the times 
of the Gentiles is not to be deemed a mere arbitrary 
and accidental phrase ; a phrase then first employed ; 
a phrase wholly indefinite ; a phrase which has no 
relation to more ancient prophecies. Accordingly, the 
captivity of Judah among all nations^ foretold by our 
Lord, corresponds with the scattering of the holy people 
mentioned by Daniel, and the times of the Gentiles at 
the same period, as the three times and a half. We 
observe farther, that the Apostle Paul has taken notice 
of this prediction. " Blindness," says he, " in part is 
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be 
come." Rom. 11 : 25. The apostle assures us that 
Israel, for the most part, wiU remain in a state of spiritual 
blindness until the fulness or the accomplishment of the 
times of the Gentiles shall arrive. He refers to the 
prophecy of our Lord, just as our Lord referred to the 
prophecy of Daniel ; and thus all three agree in telling 
us that Judah will be restored near the close of the 
times of the Gentiles, or of the three times and a half, 
or of the 1260 years. 

I proceed to observe, in the next place, that the near 
approach of the restoration of the Jews may be argued 
from the pleasing signs of the time connected with that 
subject. 

Providence explains and confirms prophecy. There 
are generally several remarkable circumstances con- 
nected with any great event frequently predicted ; and 
when we see the first circumstance taking place, we 
may expect the second not to be afar off. How pleasing 



264 ESSAYS ON BAPTTSM- 

and how encouraging, then, are the signs of the time 
concerning the speedy restoration of the Jews. Insur- 
mountable obstacles and difficulties have been taken out 
of the way, and instruments and means for accomplish- 
ing it are at hand. 

When the time, the fixed and predicted time, for the 
deliverance of our fathers from Egyptian bondage had 
arrived, King Pharaoh was not only willing to let the 
Jews go away, but he drove them out in haste ; but not 
without furnishing them with the means of building the 
Tabernacle of the Lord, as it is written : " And the 
children of Israel did according to the word of Moses ; 
and they asked (not borrowed, see my Scripture Types, 
vol. 1, p. 147) of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and 
jewels of gold, and raimant ; and the Lord gave the 
people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they 
gave unto them such things as they had asked, and they 
spoiled (or rather emptied, impoverished) the Egyp- 
tians." Exod. 12 : 31-36. 

In like manner, when the 70 years foretold by Jere- 
miah concerning the Babylonish captivity were fulfilled, 
Cyrus, the king, not only gave them liberty to return 
to their country and to build the city and the temple, 
but he also furnished them with means for accomplishing 
it ; just so will the restoration of the Jews to their own 
land be effected by the powers that be. We have the 
sure Word of God for the foundation of our expecta- 
tions ; " For thus says the Lord God, behold, I will lift 
up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to 
the people, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, 
and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders ; 
and kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens 
thy nursing mothers." Isa. 49 : 22, 23. And I will set 
a sign among them, and I will send those that escape 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCtt. S65 

of them unto the nations to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that 
draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, 
that have not heard my name, neither have seen ray 
glory ; and they shall declare my glory among the Gen* 
tiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an 
offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, upon horses, 
and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon 
swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the 
Lord." Lsa. 66; 19,20. 

Already preparation is making for accomplishing 
these predictions. Some years past (immediately after 
the destruction of the Turkish fleet by the Russians) 
the subject was discussed in the cabinet of Britain, and 
of late years petitions have been presented to par- 
liament, calling on the nation to restore the Jews to their 
own land.* 

Another remarkable sign is, the political state of Tur- 
key. Formerly they considered themselves invulnerable ; 
now they are sensible of their weakness. The land long 
trodden down under foot by the Gentiles is now in the 
possession of the sultan, who is perfectly sensible that 
he is under the complete power and disposal of Britain 
and her allies : should they only make the request that 
the land of Judea be given up to the Jews, it would be 
complied with without delay. We proceed to remark, 

3. That the Jews, being again restored to their own 
land before their conversion to Christianity, will doubt- 
less rebuild Jerusalem and erect a magnificent temple, 
offer up sacrifices and observe the ceremonial law for a 
season. (Perhaps for forty years, the period of time 
they spent in the journey from Egypt to Canaan.) 
Strange that any one should doubt this. Even if the 

* One or two of these petitions will be found at the end of this 
Essay. 

23 



266 ESSAYS ON BAPTiwftf. 

bible had said nothing about the subject, I should still 
believe it just as much as I should expect that, if fifty 
Jewish families were to emigrate from Germany to Ohio, 
to form a colony, they would build a Synagogue and 
•worship God according to their profession. Besides, 
how can we call in question their rebuilding again that 
city and temple, the destruction of which they have 
lamented and bemourned by an annual fast, and for the 
rebuilding of which they daily pray to the God of their 
fathers. 

As it respects their again offering sacrifices, nothing 
can be more certain. Jehovah having restricted sacri- 
fices to Jerusalem, the Jews have not offered any during 
their dispersion, yet they have substituted other things 
in their place ; but all these will be laid aside as soon as 
they have received Jesus Christ as " the lamb of God, 
that took away the sin of the world," and as the high 
priest of their profession. 

To this sentiment it has been objected, because the 
Scripture foretold that, when the Messiah comes, he will 
cause sacrifices and oblations to cease. True, our 
blessed Saviour has done so ; by the one sacrifice of 
himself, he has for ever put an end to the necessity of 
another sacrifice. He has perfectly answered the design 
of the institution, and it is no farther needed. God no 
more requires sacrifices and oblations, yet he may per- 
mit the Jews to offer them, as much as he permits them 
to build their Synagogues, and still have no delight in 
either of them. After their conversion they will give 
up all that in which they trusted and gloried, and glory 
only in Christ crucified. What a striking proof that will 
be of the truth and power of the gospel. 

4. We observe farther, that their conversion will not 
be effected in the usual way of the conversion of sinners, 



ESSAY Vri.J THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 267 

but by the personal appearance of Christ. True, the 
Spirit of God has said but little on this part of our subject; 
yet what he has said, that I believe. If I consider a 
man to be honest and upright, I shall have as much 
confidence in his promise, though made, signed, and 
sealed but once, as if he had made it repeatedly, and 
signed and sealed it ever so often ; and shall not I have 
full confidence in the promise of my God, though made 
but once ? Jehovah Jesus himself tells us that the 
house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall 
look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn for 
him, (or rather for it.) Zech. 12 : 10. When the 
soldier thrust the spear into the heart of Jesus, the 
evangelist said, " This was done that the Scripture might 
be fulfilled ; they shall look on him whom they have 
pierced." Now, as they pierced the literal body of 
Christ, and the people saw him literally, so likewise 
shall the whole nation of the Jews see him literally, 
and mourn that they have crucified the Lord of Glory. 
Yes, they will see him as really as unbelieving Thomas 
did ; and, like him, exclaiming, " My Lord, and my God," 
they will exclaim, " Lo,this is our God ; we have waited 
for him, and he will save us : this is the Lord ; we 
have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in 
his salvation." Isav 25 : 9. Then will be fulfilled 
the saying of our Lord, when, with acclamations of joy 
and rejoicing unparalleled, they, as a nation, will see 
him and say : " Blessed be he that cometh in the name 
of the Lord," These words in their connexion are still 
more striking : " Behold, your house is left unto you 
desolate ; for I say unto you, ye shall not see me hence- 
forth, till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the 
name of the Lord." Matt. 23 : 38, 39. This evidently 
shows that when they say this, they will see him. 



268 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Then they will, from full conviction of heart, adopt 
the language of Isaiah, saying : " He was despised and 
rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with 
grief ; and we hid, as it were, our faces from him : he 
was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he 
has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows ; yet we 
did esteem him smitten of God, and afflicted. But he 
was wounded for our transgressions ; he was bruised for 
our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon 
him ; and with his stripes we are healed."^ Isa. 53 : 3-5. 

However few of my readers may be inclined to receive 
this sentiment, yet it has been the sentiment of some of 
the most learned and pious writers. I will quote but two. 

The great Joseph Mede says : '' For my part, I incline 
to think that they shall be called by vision and voice 
from heaven, as St. Paul was ; and that that place of 
Zechariah 12 : 10, ' They shall see him whom they have 
pierced,' and that of Matthew 23 : 37,. * Ye shall not see 
me henceforth, till you say, blessed is he that cometh 
in the name of the Lord,' seems to imply some such 
matter. They will never believe that Christ reigns at 
the right hand of God until they see him. It must be 
an invincible evidence which must convert them after 
so many hundred years settled obstinacy. But this I 
speak of the body of the nation : there may be some 
praeludia of some particulars converted upon other mo- 
tives, as a forerunner of the great and main conversion." 
Works, B. 4, Epist. 14, p. 761. See also Epist. 17, B. 
5, ch. 2. The indefatigable student of prophecy, the 
Rev. S. Faber, speaks thus : " The order of events, so 
far as I can collect them from prophecy, is this : 1. The 
chief part of the Jews will be converted. 2. They will 
be restored, apparently through the agency of soma 
great maritime nation. 3. They will be attacked ii\ 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 269 

Palestine, and threatened with utter extermination, by 
the antichristian faction and the unbelieving Jews. 4. 
The hitherto unbelieving Jews will look upon him whom 
they have pierced, and be converted to the faith. 5. 
The now thoroughly converted Hebrew nation will 
undertake their predicted office of carrying the gospel 
to the Gentiles. 6. The house of Israel will be gathered 
ahd brought back by the converted Gentiles, so that 
henceforth they will form one nation with the house of 
Judah." Prelim. Statement, § 11, 25-108. 

Some eminent divines are of opinion that the Apostle 
Paul considered his conversion typical of the conversion 
of the Jews as a nation, because he said : " Howbeit 
for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus 
Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern 
to them which should hereafter believe on him to life 
everlasting." 1 Tim. 1 : 16. 

His miraculous conversion, his great distress for three 
days and three nights, his superior knowledge and un- 
derstanding in the mysteries of the gospel, his uninter- 
rupted peace and joy in believing, his unparalleled zeal 
and self-denial for the honour of the Redeemer, and his 
unwearied labours and astonishing success in preaching 
among the Gentiles ; in all these particulars they con- 
sider him a pattern or type of the future conversion of 
the Jews as a nation. 

5. We proceed to show that the Jews, after their 
conversion, will be the honoured instruments in pro- 
moting the conversion of the heathen nations. 

" Whatever partial success," says Mr. Faber, " may 
attend missionary exertions in regard to individual 
Pagans or Mohamedans, the Gentiles will never be 
converted nationally, and upon a large scale, until the 
Jews shall have been first converted; and the ground 

23^ 



270 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM, 

of this very important position is, that the converted 
Jews are destined, in the unsearchable wisdom of God, 
to be the sole finally-successful missionaries to the Gen- 
tile world." Sermon before the Jewish Society^ London, 
1822. This opinion is confirmed by many passages of 
Scripture, both in figurative and plain language. Zecha- 
riah teaches us that in the day when the Jews shall 
be restored to their own land, and shall be delivered from 
their congregated enemies, " living waters shall go out 
of Jerusalem." And in the parallel passages of Ezekiel 
and Joel, which similarly treat of Judah's restoration in 
the last ages, these same living waters are said to flow 
" out of the Temple." Zech. 14 : 8. Ezek. 47 : 1-12. 
Joel 3 : 18. " It is hard to say," Mr. i^a^er observes, 
" what can be intended by the eflux of living waters 
from Jerusalem or from the Temple during the period 
which immediately follows the restoration of the Jews, 
unless it be the communication of the gospel to the 
great body of the now unbelieving Gentiles, by the 
tncient people of God, immediately after their own con- 
version." Ihid. '' These waters," says Archbishop 
Newcome, " beautifully represent the gradual progress 
of the gospel. The passage refers to the wide effusion 
of divine knowledge from Jerusalem when restored. 
By living waters, there is good reason to believe, are 
meant the gifts and graces of the gospel dispensation. 
That these benefits will diflfuse more extensively by the 
restoration of the Jews, is not obscurely intimated in 
Rom. 11: 15." 

Now, what these three prophets teach us figuratively, 
others teach us plainly, literally, and unequivocally. 
Isaiah tells us that, " when in the last days the house of 
the Lord shall be established in the top of the mounr 
tains, all nations shall flow unto it ; and many people 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST GHURCII. 271 

shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the 
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, 
and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk, in 
his path ; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the 
Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Ch. 2 : 1-3. To 
prevent this prophecy from being spiritualized, as the 
fashion is, viz., that the present Gentile Christian church 
is spoken of, Isaiah is careful to tell us that the word 
which he saw concerned " Judah and Jerusalem." 

Again, let us listen to the testimony of Jehovah : 
" Arise, shine, for thy light is come, aad the glory of the 
Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, darkness shall 
cover the earth, and gross darkness the people : but the 
Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen 
upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, 
and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine 
eyes round about, and see : all they gather themselves 
together, they come to thee : thy sons shall come from 
afar, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then 
thou shalt see, and flow together, and thy heart shall 
fear, and be enlarged : because the abundance of the sea 
shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles 
shall come unto thee." Isa. 60 : 1-3. Let any one 
attentively read this whole chapter, and he, I think, 
cannot but be satisfied that the converted Jews are 
described as the appointed instruments of conveying the 
light of Christianity to the Gentiles. The Prophet 
Micah informs us " that the remnant of Jacob shall be 
in the midst of many people, as the dew from the Lord, 
as the showers upon the grass." Micah 5 : 7. Arch- 
bishop Newcome well remarks : " The Jews contributed 
to spread the knowledge of the one true God during 
their captivity in Babylon ; the gospel was preached by 
them when the Messiah appeared ; and it shall agaia 
be propagated by their future glorious restoration." 



272 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

Such being the remarkable office of the house of 
Israel in all ages, we need not wonder to find them 
styled by the Prophet Hosea the Jezreel, i. e., the seed of 
God ; " yet the number of the children of Israel shall be 
as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor 
numbered : and it shall come to pass that in the place 
where it was said unto them, ye are not ray people, 
there it shall be said unto them, ye are the sons of the 
living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the 
children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint 
themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the 
land : for great shall be the day of Jezreel." Hosea 1 : 
10, 11. Why is this singular title bestowed upon God's 
ancient people 1 " Great and happy shall be the day," 
says Bishop Horsley, " upon the holy seed of both 
branches of the natural Israel ; they shall be publicly 
acknowledged of their God, united under one head, 
their King Messiah, and restored to the possession of the 
promised land, and to a situation of high pre-eminence 
among the kingdoms of the earth. The myriads of the 
natural Israel converted by the preaching of the apos- 
tles, were the first seed of the universal church ; and 
there is reason to believe that the restoration of the 
converted Jews will be the occasion and means of a 
prodigious influx of new converts from the Gentiles in 
the latter ages. Thus the Jezreel of the natural Israel 
from the first have been, and to the last will prove, a 
seed sown of God for himself in the earth." Horsley 
on Hosea 1 : 11 ; 2 : 23. 

We refer but once more to the Old Testament for the 
confirmation of our sentiment : " Thus says the Lord of 
Hosts : It shall yet come to pass that there shall come 
people, and the inhabitants of many cities ; and the 
inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, let 
us go up speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 273 

the Lord of Hosts ; I will go also. Yea, maivy people 
and strong nations shall come and seek the Lord of 
Hosts at Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus 
says the Lord of Hosts : In those days it shall come to 
pass that ten men shall take hold, out of all languages 
of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him 
that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we 
have heard that God is with you." Zech. 8 : 20-23. 

" This passage," says Archbishop Newcome, " refers 
to the great accession of converts which the Jewish 
church received between the captivity and the coming 
of Christ, to the number of disciples which the Jewish 
preachers made, and to the future conversions, of which 
the restoration of the Jews will be an eminent cause." 
On Zech. 8 : 23. 

Let us now listen to the opinion of the Apostle Paul 
on this subject: " God hath not cast away his people 
which he foreknew. I say, then, have they stumbled, that 
they should fall 1 God forbid ! but rather through their 
fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke 
them to jealousy. Now, if the fall of them be the riches 
of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of 
the Gentiles, how much more their fulness ? for if the 
casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, 
what shall the receiving of them be but life from the 
dead?" Rom. 11 : 2, 11, 12, 15. 

It is evident from this passage that the converted 
Jews will be the grand instrument of the universal and 
final conversion of the Gentiles : besides, on any other 
principle of exposition, it is difficult to understand the 
drift, and to perceive the cogency, of the apostle's argu- 
ment ; for he reasons thus : 

If the fall of the Jews be the riches of the Gentiles, 
because in the first ages a Gentile church was gathered 



2'74 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

out of the world to occupy the place which the Jews 
once held, how much more eminently must the fulness 
of the Jews, when themselves converted, be the riches 
of the Gentiles 1 for if the casting away of the Jews be 
the reconciling of those Gentiles only who received the 
faith of Christ, what will be the receiving of the con- 
verted Jews into the Christian church but life from the 
dead to those Gentiles who as yet have remained in an 
unconverted state ? Now, unless we suppose this to be 
the argument of the apostle, we shall find it no easy 
matter to comprehend the drift and object of his reason- 
ing. The conversion of the Jews is described as being 
much more eminently beneficial to the great collective 
body of the Gentiles, than the conversion of those 
Gentiles who in the apostolic age had embraced Chris- 
tianity ; i. e., the Gentiles collectively are represented 
as being much more benefited by the yet future conver- 
sion of the Jews, than they were by that partial con- 
version of certain members only of their own body 
which has hitherto taken place. 

A great benefit, no doubt, was conferred upon the 
Gentiles, even by a partial admission of them into the 
church ; for St. Paul styles this the riches of the Gen- 
tiles and the reconciling of the world ; but, then, he con- 
tends that an infinitely greater benefit, a benefit which 
he celebrates as " life from the dead," will be conferred 
upon them by the receiving of the Jews. Yet how can 
this be possible on any other ground than that the con- 
verted Jews are destined to convert the mighty multitude 
of the yet unconverted Gentiles 1 How, on any other 
interpretation, will the apostle's argument, plainly an 
argument from the less to the greater, stand good 1 Lei 
us thus understand St. Paul, and the whole will be clear 
and luminous, and strictly conclusive ; but if we sup- 



ESSAY VII. 1 THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 275 

pose him to mean something else than the future con- 
version of the Gentile world by the previously converted 
Jews, we shall find ourselves obliged to view him as 
making the strangely incongruously assertion, that, how- 
ever great a benefit to the Gentiles was their own con- 
version in the apostolic age, yet the naked and isolated 
conversion of the Jews, with which they had no special 
concern beyond the mere general satisfaction springing 
from the simple philanthropic good will, must needs be 
an infinitely greater benefit to the whole collective mass 
of the Gentiles. Who, I may ask, does not at once 
perceive the incongruity of such an assertion ? The 
Gentiles may doubtless rejoice, even abstractedly and dis- 
interestedly, at the bare circumstance of the conversion 
of the Jews ; that is to say, they may rejoice at it even 
on the supposition that the benefit of their conversion 
began and ended with themselves ; but it is not in 
human nature, nay, it is contrary to plain common sense, 
that they should be so marvellously and so outrageously 
disinterested as to deem the conversion of the Jews a 
much greater benefit to them than their own conversion. 

Thus necessarily is it to the conclusiveness of St. 
Paul's argument, that he should be understood as reason- 
ing from the anciently predicted circumstance of the 
conversion of the Gentiles by the previously converted 
Jews.* 

That the reader may not think that love and attach- 
ment to my dear Jewish brethren has led me to form the 
opinion that they will be the happy instruments in the call 
of the Gentile nations, I have purposely confirmed the 
sentiment by quotations from other writers. Nor let the 
reader suppose for a moment that I am an opponent to 

♦ See Faber's " connected view of the prophecies relative to the 
restoration of Judah and Israel.^' Proph. 17, 27, 34, 38, 39, 43. 



276 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

efforts made by any society to promote the conversion of 
the Gentiles. God forbid ! I have ever been the tried 
friend and advocate of missionary efforts, and most sin- 
cerely wish that the number of dear missionaries may 
be multiplied a hundredfold. For, although the conver- 
sion of the world may not take place till after the Jews 
are converted, yet much good has been done by mission- 
aries during the last forty years, and much greater things 
will yet be accomplished. Surely no one who is ac- 
quainted with the missionary proceedings of the present 
century, will suppose for a moment that the late vene- 
rable Dr. Bogue, the father of the London Missionary 
Society, was an opponent to missionary efforts, and yet 
he also considered the conversion of the Jews as a most 
effectual means of converting the heathen world. Hear 
his own words : ** The Gentile Christian church will, 
by their means, (the Jews,) be comforted, revived, and 
animated to glorify God and promote the cause of Christ, 
while the Mohamedan and Pagan nations will feel the 
happy effects of their active zeal, and by their labours 
be brought, in vast multitudes, to the knowledge of the 
truth as it is in Jesus. 

" The language of the prophetic Scripture concerning 
them fully confirms this assertion. Rom. 11 : 12, 15. 
Zech. 8 : 23. Not to multiply quotations, may we not 
plainly gather from these two that, as the Jews who 
were converted by our Lord's ministry, and commission- 
ed by him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, were the 
grand instruments in planting the Christian church in the 
world, and of founding the kingdom of the Redeemer 
among the nations^ so in the latter days the Jews, when 
converted by the Gentile believers, will be active, zea- 
lous, and successful preachers of the gospel, and in a 
very eminent degree contribute their aid in bringing all 



ESSAY VII.] THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 2?7 

the Mohamedans and Pagan nations into subjection to 
Jesus Christ 1 Every friend of missions, then, must be 
deeply convinced that, in seeking the salvation of the 
Jews, we are promoting the conversion of the heathen, 
and are enlisting fellow-labourers to assist us in the 
work. 

" Their dispersion in almost every country, and theit 
knowledge of almost every language, gives them pecu- 
liar advantages for missionary exertions > and, I doubt 
not, it is designed by Providence for that end. Nothing 
is wanting but their conversion, of which prophecy has 
assured us. Let every heart, then, be united to bring 
to pass that great and blessed change." Sermon before 
the Missionary/ Society, London, 1806. 

I proceed now to observe, 

Lastly. VL That, after the conversion of the Jews, 
the church of Christ will be again a Baptist church. 

At present the Jews in their dispersed state, know- 
ing generally but little of the disputed points and diffe- 
rent creeds of the numerous sects among Christians, 
naturally embrace the religious sentiments of those mis- 
sionaries under whose instructions they were led to 
renounce Judaism. Hence the 3000 Jews who have 
made a public profession of faith in Christ during the 
last forty years, and the thirty-four of them who preach 
in Europe, are all Pedobaptists, because their teachers 
are such. But I hope the time is not far off when the 
Baptist denomination will have their missionaries among 
the Jews, both in this country and abroad ; and I doubt 
not their converts unto God and his Christ will be Bap- 
tists in sentiment and practice. 

One thing, however, is sure, that when the nation is 
converted they will all be Baptists : for then the Lord 
Jesus Christ himself will be their teacher. He will then 

24 



278 ESSAYS ON BAPTISM. 

be with them and abide among them, as he did with his 
apostles of old. He will then explain the meaning of 
his own commission, both as it respects the mode and 
the subjects of the sacred ordinance of baptism. 

During the interesting dialogue of our blessed Lord 
with the woman of Samaria, she said : " I know that 
Messiah cometh, which is called Christ ; when he is 
come he will tell us all things." John 4 : 25. What 
did the woman mean when she said, " He will tell us 
all things ?" and whence did she obtain that know- 
ledge ? She had learned it from the Jews ; for it has 
been an ancient custom among the Jews, and still is, 
that, when two Rabbins dispute with each other on any 
religious subject, and cannot agree, they say, " Let it 
rest till Messiah comes, and he will decide it." Hence 
the woman, being convinced that he was the Messiah, 
because he had told her " all that ever she did," she 
put to him, for his decision, the question which had long 
been a subject of controversy between her people and 
the Jews, about the proper place of worship. Now, the 
woman confounded the first and second advent of Christ. 
At his first coming he did reveal the whole counsel of 
God, but the truth revealed has been awfully corrupted 
and darkened by men's wisdom : hence the watchmen 
do not yet see eye to eye. Alas ! how diverse and how 
numerous are the opinions of ministers and people on 
every subject of religion : but at the second advent of 
Christ, when he shall appear personally, as he ascend- 
ed up on high, and reign upon the earth for a thousand 
years, " He will tell us all things." He will then decide 
and settle for ever all disputes. " He will tell us all 
things," says Matthew Henry ^ and I firmly believe it, 
" relating to the service of God, which it is needful for 
us to know ; will tell us that which will supply our de- 



ESSAY Vll.j THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 279 

fects, rectify our mistakes, and put an end to our disputes. 
He will tell us the mind of God fully and clearly, and 
keep back nothing." Yes, all sects and denominations 
will then be swallowed up in one. As it was said of 
the church when first commenced, " and the multitude 
of them that believed were of one heart and of one 
soul," Acts 4 : 32, so shall it be again in the latter 
days, as it is written, " The Lord shall be King over all 
the earth ; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his 
name one," Zech. 14 : 9, and the declaration of the 
apostle will be exemplified, " One Lord, one faith, one 
baptism." Then will it be universally acknowledged 
that '* the church of Christ is a Baptist church." Lord, 
hasten it, for thy name's sake. 

Now unto God the Father, God the Son, and God 
the Holy Ghost, the one Jehovah, be all honour and 
glory for ever and ever. Amen. 



END OF ESSAYS. 



PETITIONS 

Referred to in Essay VII., p. 265. 

At a public meeting held in Carlow, February 22d, 
1841, to consider the necessity for making a vigorous 
and united effort at the present crisis, in order to " urge 
on our rulers to use all the means now in their power 
to secure perfect protection to the Jews in Palestine, 
and to obtain civil and religious liberty for the country," 
ihe honourable and very reverend, the Dean of Leigh- 
lin, presided, and the following resolutions were una- 
nimously passed : 

1. That, the Almighty God having delivered the land 
of Palestine from the power of the Egyptians, chiefly 
by British arms, we consider her majesty's government 
should now exert its commanding influence to preserve 
the Jews from cruel oppressions, to which they have 
for ages been exposed in the land of their fathers. 

2. That, as Great Britain formerly shared the crime 
of other Gentile nations, of cruelly oppressing the unre- 
sisting Jews during that period of their exclusion from 
their own country, it is peculiarly called upon to mani- 
fest repentance for this heinous offence, by taking ad- 
vantage of the present favourable opportunity of doing 
them good for all the evils previously inflicted. 

3. That, as it is the decree of heaven that the Jews 
shall return to their own land, and that the Gentile 
nations shall be instrumental in their restoration, we 
deem it the duty of her majesty's government to afford 
every facility for the accomplishment of this desirable 
object. 



PETITIONS. 281 

4. That we consider it the duty of government to 
use every means in their power to protect the ancient 
people of God, and to restore them to the land of their 
fathers ; we deem it to be the no less sacred duty of 
British Christians to urge them on to this most honour- 
able work, and to encourage in its performance by con- 
veying to them the expressions of their feelings and 
convictions on the subject ; and we, therefore, resolve 
to transmit the following memorial to Lord Palmerston, 
her majesty's secretary for Foreign Affairs, as con- 
taining the expression of our sentiments : 

MEMORIAL 

To the Right Honourable Lord Palmerston, her Majesty^s 
Secretary for Foreign Affairs: the humble Memorial 
of the undersigned, inhabitants of Carlow and its 
vicinity. 

Your memorialists take the liberty of presenting the 
following statement to your Lordship, in consequence of 
the success which the Almighty has lately been pleased 
to grant to her majesty's arms in Syria, and the peculiar 
position in which he has placed the British government 
with respect to the Jews ; and they feel the more en- 
couraged to do it, from the deep interest which your 
Lordship has already shown in the welfare of that 
people. 

Your Lordship must be fully aware of the unparalleled 
sufferings which the Jews have for ages endured in the 
land of their fathers ; as that land has recently, in the 
providence of God, been thrown in some degree under 
the British power, your memorialists earnestly entreat 
that her majesty's government may employ their pre- 
sent commanding influence to shield the unresisting 

24* 



282 PETITIONS. 

Jews from farther persecution, and to ensure for them 
complete protection. 

Your memorialists feel much confidence in pressing 
upon your Lordship's attention the claims of this much 
injured people ; from whom could they better expect a 
prompt and vigorous attention to these claims than 
from a government which has already exerted itself so 
nobly in the cause of humanity, and set an example 
worthy of the imitation of the world, in abolishing 
slavery and extending protection to the oppressed ? 

Your memorialists beg leave farther to remind your 
Lordship that the land of Palestine was bestowed by 
the Sovereign of the universe upon the descendants of 
Abraham, as a permanent and inalienable possession, 
nearly 4000 years ago, and that neither conquests nor 
treaties among men can possibly effect their title of it. 
He has also decided that they shall again return to their 
country, and that the Gentiles shall be employed as the 
means of their restoration : *' For thus saith the Lord 
God : Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, 
and set my standard to the people, and they shall bring 
thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be car- 
ried upon their shoulders ; and the kings shall be thy 
nursing fathers and their queens thy nursing mothers." 
Isaiah 49. 

Happy shall those be who shall be employed in ac- 
complishing God's purposes of mercy to his ancient 
people, for " the}^ shall prosper who love Zion." The 
honour and happiness to be thus obtained appear to be 
now within our reach, and to be offered for pur accep- 
tance. It is foretold also that the ships of Tarshish 
shall be employed in conducting the lost tribes of Israel 
to their home; and who are more likely to be employed 
in this service, or could more easily accomplish it, thaa 



PETITIONS. 283 

the nation whose fleets have been long engaged in pro- 
tecting and succouring the wretched, which have access 
to countries where Jews are to be found. That the 
promises of Jehovah shall be accomplished by some 
Gentile nation is absolutely certain, and everything 
seems to indicate their speedy fulfilment ; and it remains 
now to be seen whether her majesty's government is 
to be the chosen instrument in accomplishing this 
blessed work, (as Cyrus, the great King of Persia, was 
in ancient time,) or whether the honour and conse- 
quent prosperity are to be conferred upon some other 
maritine power. 

Your memorialists cannot conclude without remindinsf 
your Lordship that our own fate, as a nation, depends 
on the manner in which we treat the Jews ; for the 
irreversible decree of heaven is, " The nation or king- 
dom that will not serve Israel, shall perish, yea, those 
nations shall be utterly wasted." Your memorialists, 
therefore, pray your Lordship to adopt such measures 
as may appear to you best to secure full protection to 
the Jews in their own country ;, also to grant them 
assistance in gaining possession of their own land^ 
either by purchase or otherwise, and to afford facilities 
to all who may be disposed to return to their inheritance. 

And your memorialists will ever pray, &;c. 

This memorial was readily and cheerfully signed by 
almost every Protestant to whom it was presented. 
Many Roman Catholics also, both clergy and laity,, 
freely affixed their signatures. The following reply 
has been received, addressed to the honourable and 
very reverend, the Dean of Leighlin : 

Foreign Office, March Sth, 1841. 
Sir : I am directed by Viscount Palmerston to request 



284 PETITIONS. 

that you will acquaint the parties resident at Carlow and 
its vicinity, who signed the memorial transmitted to his 
lordship from Carlow on the twenty-first of last month, 
praying for the intervention of her majesty's government 
in favour of the Jews who may be settled in Palestine, 
or who may desire to return there, that his lordship 
has duly received their memorial, and desires to assure 
them that the interesting subject to which it relates has 
not escaped the attention of her majesty's government, 
who have made, and still are making, endeavours which 
they trust will not be altogether without success, to 
obtain for such Jews as may wish to settle in Palestine, 
full security of their persons and property. 

I am, sir, 

Your most obedient and humble servant, 

(Signed,) J. Backhouse. 



THE FOLLOWING LETTER ON 

"THE LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA'' 

Was addressed to the Members of the House of Peers, 
by the Rev Thomas Powell, Curate of the Tintern, 
London, 1834. 

May it please your Lordships, 

The very idea of the " Liberation of Jerusalem," as a 
matter for serious consideration, might naturally, I con- 
fess, almost raise a suspicion of the soundness of his 
intellect who should advocate it ; for it seems to have 
had its existence only among the visions of crusaders, 
poets, and minstrels. The consistency, however, or 
inconsistency of most public measures, depends, in a 
great measure, upon the aptitude of the public mind to 
entertain them ; and wh it in one age would be esteemed 
folly, becomes rational in another ; what in one age 
was absurd, becomes appropriate in another ; what was 
visionary in an age of ignorance, becomes tangible in 
an age of intellect. 

Although I admire the chivalry of the crusaders, I 
can smile, as well as others, at their enthusiasm ; and 
in the present feeble attempt to plead the cause of that 
long oppressed city which is rendered dear to every 
Christian mind by the highest claims, the tenderest ties, 
the most glorious circumstances, I entirely disavow 
all mutuality of feeling with the fanaticism of Peter the 
Hermit, the poetry of Tasso, or the painting of Guido 
and Tintoretto. I desire to state a plain case, and, if 
possible, to awaken on behalf of the " City of our God " 
the sympathy of a nation that has long been peculiar for 



286 LETTER ON THE 

its ready participation, either in the squabbles or the 
sufferings of others. 

If there is any one thing which more than all others 
can give one country a claim to the sympathy of another, 
be it what it may, Jerusalem and Judea possess it ; but 
add all such things together as may establish that claim, 
and Judea and Jerusalem possess them all. 

Is England the admiration of old nations, and the ex- 
ample of new ones, in her civil and legal Constitution ? 
How has that Constitution been consummated \ By the 
gradual influence of that religion which first sprung up 
in Judea, and which England received from thence. Is 
England exalted among nations for that high system of 
morality which pervades her national habits ? Is Eng- 
land happy within herself in the possession of those 
domestic qualities which characterize her families? 
Whence did she derive the influence that brought both 
these into being? From that religion which first 
sprung up in Judea, and which she derived from thence. 

What, my Lords, is it that at this moment upholds 
England in her greatness, her glory, her freedom? 
Her religion ! a religion whose infancy was cradled in 
Judea on the laws and the prophets, and whose vigour 
was matured at Jerusalem by the gospel. 

We talk of the laws of Rome, of the governments of 
Greece, of the ethics, the moral systems, the legal codes 
of the ancients, and think Plato, Solon, Numa, and Ly- 
curgus little less than divine— seated on the summits 
of antiquity, so high that we can scarce discern them, 
we look up toward them with wonder and awe. 

What then ! are the Laws of Moses so barbarous, are 
they of such modern institution, that on the score both 
of wisdom and of age they are valueless ? For their age 
—■when were a great and polished nation governed by 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 287 

them ? When all the nations of Europe " ran wild in 
woods," like noble savages ; when the now ancient 
nations of Asia had scarcely emerged from barbarity ; 
when in Egypt alone there existed a few that could read. 
Yet in an age so remote Judea had a government so 
simple, so judicious, so dignified, that it even yet com^ 
mands the respect of the wisest. 

For their wisdom ! A people divided into tribes, form- 
ing, nevertheless, one family ; each tribe being its own 
counsellor, to decide upon its own interests ; a senate 
composed of the elders of the tribes, and elected in their 
own assemblies, to discuss, in the name of the nation, 
the general interests ; an elective influence, in which all 
shared, from the lowest of the people up to the highest ; 
an exclusive priesthood sanctified for the office, and 
provided for by the nation ; a civil and criminal juris- 
prudence, written and explicit, which had simple justice 
for its object, and God for its author ; a code of morals, 
the purity and vigour of which convict the codes of 
heathen moralists of vice and laxity ; a religious ritual, 
that embraced all the duties of man toward God, of man 
to his fellow, and of man to himself. For four hundred 
years the government of Judea was the model of a re- 
public. The worhip of the true God was its religion, 
the law its ruler, and all the people its army. Well 
might the great Jewish Legislator exclaim, when he 
contemplated " the working of his system :" " What na- 
tion is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them 
as the Lord our God is in all things to us ; and what 
nation is there so great that hath statues and judgments 
so righteous as all this our law ?" 

The taste of nations, however, as of individuals, 
changes, and " Israel desired a king." The republic be- 
came a monarchy; and in the history of its sovereigns we 



288 LETTER ON THE 

read of many who reigned with glory to themselves and 
with blessing to the people. The name, even now the most 
celebrated and revered in the east, is that of a Jewish 
king. 

It is true that, both under the republic and the monarchy, 
the laws, moral and civil, were grossly transgressed ; 
but that transgression is derogatory only to the trans- 
gressor, not to the laws ; for Moses vindicated them in 
anticipation^ by pronouncing a curse against him who 
should be guilty of an infraction of their smallest ordi- 
nance. 

From David to Zedekiah, Judea, as a monarchy, 
possessed as much glory as any nation since can boast ; 
and she exhibits in that period not more shame, misfor- 
tune, and vicissitude than has fallen to the lot of all 
other nations in the lapse of a thousand years. 

Classic pilgrims haunt the shores of ancient Greece, 
and put off' their sandals when they approach her vene- 
rated piles. They wander amid her marble ruins, and 
hold, in fancy, converse with her sages. They dig be- 
neath the accumulated dust of ages> to find some defaced 
figure for which to fancy a meaning and guess an anti- 
quity. They measure the roofs of her domes and pace 
the porticos of her temples, and are struck dumb at these 
evidences of the " glory and grandeur of Greece." And 
where was Greece when Jerusalem was glorious ? and 
where her grandeur when Judea was great ? The seed 
of her being was yet only in the loins of Time ; futurity 
alone had cognizance of her coming existence. 

Jerusalem was " the joy of the whole earth," — " beau- 
tiful for situation," ** glorious to behold," — when yet the 
marble of Athens, of Corinth, and of Rome was unhewn 
from the rock. 

And what claim has Rome over Jerusalem ? That 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 289 

a thing of yesterday compared to this. Who built the 
glorious temple, a building that never was, and perhaps 
never will be, surpassed ? Who gave to Pharaoh's 
daughter a palace, whose walls were costly stones, 
whose roof was gold, and whose beams were cedar? 
Who laid the foundation of the city walls deep in her 
everlasting hills ? Who " gathered chariots and horse- 
men, and had a thousand and four hundred chariots and 
twelve thousand horsemen ^ and made silver to be in 
Jerusalem as stones, and cedars to be as the sycamores 
that are in the vale for abundance f ' Solomon ! And 
who found Rome brick ? Trajan 1^ Jerusalem had 
lived twice in glory 'ere scarcely Rome was born. 

But it is not onl^ in anterior glory, or antiquity, that 
Jerusalem claims our reverence and admiration ; it is in 
everything that can exalt one nation above another* 
Rome, founded by robbers, murderers, and a fratri^ 
cide ; the seat of gross idolatry ; devoted to vices that 
shame the very name of nature ; nurtured by rapine ; 
governed by laws that could call murder virtue ; hallow 
the cackling of geese, and punish the frailty of women 
with flames, Jerusalem, founded by the chosen people 
of God, the seat, the only seat then, of the true worship 
of the true God ; devoted to His service, and for the pre- 
servation of His name upon earth ; nurtured by divine 
love and governed by divine laws. Yet, withall, we 
weep over the fallen fortunes of Greece ! we flock for 
excitement to the ruins of Rome, and leave unheeded 
the Holy City in her desolation — in bondage to barba- 
rians, degraded, unpitied, unaided. 

But if the city and the country have some claim to our 
reverence, sympathy, and honour for what they have 
been, have the people no such claim for what they have 
been and are ? Their ancient city, after a bondage of 

25 



HgO LETTER ON THE 

eighteen hundred years, is yet called the Sacred Citt/, 
even by its oppressors. Their country is yet called the 
" Holy Land," even by those who dishallow its soil. 
Their national records are in all the libraries of civilized 
Europe. Their name is known in every quarter of the 
globe, and nations stand staring and looking upon 
them." 

Vanquished by the Assyrians, and dispersed through 
their vast dominions, when, by industry and patience, 
they had made themselves rich and powerful, thiey twice 
quitted their establishments, their riches, their ease, and 
returned to inhabit the ruins of Jerusalem. If love of 
country be the first of moral virtues, who ever excelled 
the Jews in this virtue ? We make the love of country 
of the Swiss proverbial, but long 'ere Helvetia's snows 
were trodden by th« foot of an oppressor, the Jews had 
wept in captivity " at thy remembrance, O Zion." 

What nation can cite an epoch in its own history 
more glorious than that of Nehemiah and Esdras ? w^ho, 
gathering their countrymen from the wide-spread regions 
of the east, with the sword in one hand and the trowel 
in the other, in spite of opposing nations, rebuilt the 
lamparts of their beloved city and restored the altars of 
their God. From the days of Nehemiah to the days of 
Titus they ceased not to cx)mbat for their country's li- 
berty, and to avenge her wrongs ; and I question if among 
the heroes of Greece and Rome can be found any more 
patriotic or perfect than were the Maccabees. 

This, however, is only a small portion of the history 
of this mysterious people. Call to mind, my Lords, 
their sufferings, received at the hands of all other reli- 
gions : cruelties, the perusal of which astound the pre- 
sent mind. 

Polished Rome, with heathen bigotry, began the game 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 291? 

of inhumanity ; Christianity caught up the instruments 
of torture as they fell from the bloody hands of expiring 
Rome ; Mahometans merged their hatred of the " Chris- 
tian dogs," and joined them in worrying this devoted 
people. Barbarian kings, that built their thrones upon 
the ruined empire^ made it a point of religion to shed the 
blood of Jews ; whatever regions the cross of the crusa- 
ders passed through, a stream of Jewish blood followed 
it. Kings, popes, sultans, magistrates, saints, fanatics, 
all under some malicious pretext, confiscated their goods, 
seized their wealth, imprisoned their persons, and wish- 
ed for the extermination of their race. They were 
looked upon by princes but in two respects, either as 
their perpetual victim or perpetual jest. Priests cursed 
them, governments excommunicated them, and mobs 
thought it mirth to spit upon a " Jewish garberdine." 

Yet, amid accumulated persecutions, allurements, 
and snares, they have never for an hour forsworn their 
name, their nation, their customs, or their faith ; and 
does such a devoted constanci/j, of two thousand years en- 
during, awake no sympathy^ call forth no pity for their 
sufferings ? 

Yes, my Lords, this wonderful people are a living re- 
futation of infidelity — an irrefutable evidence of the truth 
of Christianity ; and they may one day be a flaming fire 
to scorch the hands of their oppressors, for ** all they 
that devour thee shall be devoured ; and all thy adver- 
saries, every one of them, shall go into captivity ; and 
they that spoil thee shall be a spoil ! and they that prey 
upon thee will I give for a prey." 

It is not mine to inquire why " Jerusalem is become, 
as it were, a heap of stones ;" why ** the glorious beauty 
of Ephraim is as a fading flower ;" why the hills of Ju- 
dea are the haunts of desolation, the valleys scorched 



292 LETTER ON THE 

with misery, the people wandering outcasts: other 
nations have sinned without being scourged so deeply. 
I dare not judge between the vinedresser and his vine- 
yard ; I bow before his searching question, " What could 
have been done more to my vineyard that I have not 
done in it ? Wherefore, when I looked that it should 
bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes V^ 
And awfully has thi^ hapless vineyard paid the penalty 
of her barrenness ; " her hedge has been removed, her 
wall broken down, herself laid waste, her towers thrown 
down, briers and thorns have sprung up, and the clouds 
have been commanded that they rain no rain upon her." 

But if ever fallen grandeur claimed our commiseration, 
Jerusalem has strong claims ; if ever a fertile land, left 
desolate and cursed, could draw forth pity, they who 
read Judea's history must weep ; if ever an unhappy 
people, that have fallen into degradation, from being in 
favour with God and man, could excite our sympathy, 
the Jews are indeed entitled to share it. 

My present object, my Lords, is, to draw your atten- 
tion, as the most august and enlightened legislative body 
in the world, to the present humiliated state of a city and 
country which have every claim to England's pity and 
aid ; and I do say that her indifference toward them is 
a stigma upon her humanity, her courage, and her cha- 
racter. 

A few years ago England sent a large naval force to 
bombard the strong hold of a Mahometan Dey, because 
he had carried on a system of piracy against the com- 
merce of other countries, and retained in chains some 
score of suspicious Christians. This force did bombard 
Algiers, threw down the power of the Dey, opened hia 
dungeons, and set free the captives. The nation rang 
with shouts of self-congratulation at their own chivalry * 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 293' 

and humanity ; and yet Jerusalem is left groaning be^ 
neath the power of Mahometan tyranny ; the lives and 
liberties of long-tried Christans are left a prey to its 
caprice and plunder ; Jews, Copts, and Armenians are 
imprisoned to gratify its avarice, or kicked to tickle its 
fancy ; and an Englishman can scarcely, without hazard- 
ing his life, certainly not without hazarding his property, 
enter within the walls of that city, which possesses his 
love, wonder, and reverence. What right has a Ma- 
hometan tyrant to impede or endanger the entrance of a 
Christian and British subject into a city of which all 
Europe should have the privilege of being free citizens ? 
There is no one argument which can be adduced to en- 
hance the merit of our armament against Algiers, which 
would not have a tenfold weight with regard to Jerusa- 
lem. 

A few years ago Greece, that, like an Asiatic lion, 
had long been held in awe under the iron rod of her op- 
pressor, no longer able to endure the tyranny, rose up 
and shook her mane. England no sooner saw her in 
the posture of defiance than she sent forth a shout to 
cheer her. The sympathy of England was soon moved 
toward her. In the first instance this sympathy was 
abominably selfish, for it was soon discovered that 
Greece might want a loan. Greece did want a loan, 
and then it was discovered that the Greeks were brave, 
noble, and patriotic — the descendants of Marathon and 
Thermopylae ; but, above all, that Greek bonds might 
be bought low, and, by management, be sold high. 
Prospectuses were soon issued, committees formed, and 
shares sold, until private sympathy was satisfied. In' 
the course of time, however, the sympathy of the nation 
was moved, and the legislature took upon itself to free 
Greece from oppression and give her liberty. This waso 

25f 



294 LETTER ON THE 

done at a great national expense. The action and the 
object, however, were truly worthy of England ; but 
what one argument is there in favour of this generosity 
and sympathy toward Greece which may not be adduced 
with more weight on behalf of Judea ? and what claim 
had Greece to these feelings which oppressed hapless 
Jerusalem does not possess ? I rejoice in the successful 
ititerference of England on behalf of Greece; it was 
worthy of England to hold her shield over a fallen nation, 
and strike off the fetters that bound it. 

But, my Lords, Algiers and Greece are not the onlt/ 
i-nstances where England has manifested an active dis- 
play of her sympathy for nations. 

Upon what principle did she interfere between Hol- 
land and her revolted province? It is said, upon the 
ground of injustice shown toward Belgium by Holland, 
that the Belgians were ill-treated, oppressed, neglected ; 
and that, as Catholics, they were aggrieved in being 
subject to Protestants. In this case we quite forsook 
our fighting propensities, and took to writing protocols ; 
and if our interference was not very bloody, it was very 
persevering ; until, indeed, we succeeded in depriving 
an old ally of a large portion of his dominions, held by 
a far more sacred right than that of conquest, and were 
kind enough to supply the revolted province with a ruler 
of our own making. If there is any one principle of 
prudence, jiistice, humanity, or legality to justify our 
persevering interference on hehM o^ Beigium, 1 am sure, 
be it what it may, that it would have tenfold weight to 
justify our interference on behalf Judea, in liberating it 
from the thraldom of Egypt and giving it freedom. 

But look, my Lords, at recent events in Portugal. 
Some three years since a doubly expatriated prince, who 
]^ad, however;^ plenty of ready money, resolved upon a» 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 295 

attempt to relieve Portugal of its sovereign, and to sub- 
stitute himself in that capacity. It was suddenly dis- 
covered that poor Portugal was the victim of tyranny ; 
that the prisons of Lisbon and Oporto were crowded 
with captives; that the streets were flooded occasionally 
with the blood of those murdered by royal ferocity ; and 
it was declared to be the bounden duty of every free- 
born Englishman to lend a hand in the liberation of the 
brave and patriotic Portuguese ; and to put down the 
power of one prince, of whose vices we had only hearsay 
information, setting up in its place the power of another, 
of whose virtues we had not even so much intelligence. 

For a long time the sympathy and aid of England 
was only private and individual, and lasted just so long 
as the ** patriotic liberator " had money to procure hence 
arms, ammunition, clothinrg, food\ and mercenary troops. 
When this was gone, it became the duty of the generous 
friends of patriotism to shift the burden of tenderness 
from their own shoulders to that of the nation at large, 
in the person of the government. There arose imme- 
diately loud demands for an army to be sent to Portugal. 
England did ultimately interfere, openly and avowedly, 
to " liberate Portugal from the grasp of a tyrant, and 
restore its lawful sovereign. This professed object was 
accomplished solely hy English money, English fighting, 
and English diplomacy. Now, what one single principle 
of humanity, justice, or expediency is there adducible 
to justify the inteferenco of England on behalf of Por- 
tugal, which would not be even more powerful to justify 
her inteference on behalf of /i/cZea and Jerusalem? 

It is not precedents, my Lords, that are wanting to 
justify such a work, nor ought the probability of political 
advantages accruing therefrom to incite England to it ; 
»or the absence q{ these to deter her from it. The ques.- 



296 LETTER ON THB 

tion is, Is it her duty ? Would it he just ? Would it 
he glorious in England to interfere for the liberation of 
Jerusalem ? 

If it be not her duty, how was it her duty to interfere 
on behalf of Belgium, Portugal, and Greece ? 

Duty springs from various sources. Self-preservation 
is a duty, and on this ground England entered into a 
long and expensive war with the French Republic ; 
protection of rights is a duty, and, therefore, England 
entered into a long and expensive war to maintain her 
rights to the Ameriacan colonies ; the resistance of evil 
and the checking of crime is a duty, and, therefore, Eng- 
land bombarded Algiers, and dethroned the King of Por- 
tugal ; the restoring the rights of others, when in our 
power, is a duty, and, therefore, England, at a great 
expenditure of blood and money, helped to restore to 
the Dutch rights of which they had been robbed by the 
French, and to the Belgians that of which they had 
never been robbed by the Dutch. The exercise of 
humanity is a duty, and, therefore, England, at a great 
expense, purchased the freedom of Greece. If these 
considerations of dutv urged England so powerfully on 
behalf of these nations, there are manifold as strong con- ^ 
siderations which render it her duty to interfere on be- 
half of Jerusalem and Judea. 

England thought it her duty to put a stop to the inhu- 
man traffic in slaves ; for this purpose she entered into 
negotiations with several of the European powers, and 
obtained from them the privilege of searching their ves- 
sels on the coast of Africa. She maintains a large naval 
force, at a great cost of money and human life, on a most 
pestiferous coast, with a view to liberate slaves in posse, 
I do not ask why it is England's duty to do this, or why 
!^e thinks it her duty; but I do ask why it is not, or 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 297 

WHY she does not consider that it is as muck her duty 
to show her chivalric humanity toward those Copts, 
Armenians, Christians, and Jews who are slaves in esse 
in moral, religious, and political slavery, of the lowest 
nature, in Judea ? She thought it her duty to put an end 
to her own trafBc in slavery ; she did so ; she went far- 
ther, she thought it her duty to attempt to put an end to 
it in other nations ; she went yet farther, for she sought 
and obtained the right to do so. I only ask, what one 
principle constituted it her duty to do all this on behalf 
of the wretched beings of Congo and the slave coast, 
who had no claim upon her but that of humanity, 
which does not also constitute it her duty to do as much 
on behalf of the wretched beings of Jerusalem and Judea, 
who have many claims upon her besides that of hu- 
manity ? 

It may be asked if I think it the duty of England to 
engage with Quixotic pugnacity on behalf of every op- 
ponent and ill-used nation ? And it may be said that, if 
such is her duty, she will have her hands pretty full of 
business. I reply to this simply, that if ever it was her 
duty to exert herself on behalf of any oppressed, ill-used 
nation, it is as much her duty to exert herself on behalf 
of Judea ? 

But would it be just in England to interfere with 
Egypt on behalf of Judea 1 

The circumstances of Greece and Judea are parallel, 
with the single exception, that the latter has not been re- 
bellious. Both once great and mighty nations, both fall- 
en from their high estate, both the victims of Mahome- 
tan despotism. Rebellion is either a crime or a virtue ; 
if it was a virtue in Greece, what made it a crime in 
Poland ? But if it was not a crime in either, what made 
it a crime in our American colonies, or what would make 



298 LETTER ON THE 

it a crime in Jamaica or Canada 1 Some will say that 
Judea should strike the first blow for her liberty, as 
Greece did ; but if rebellion is a crime, the not striking 
the first blow in guilt can surely never disannul a claim 
upon our sympathy and justice ! 

Greece was a province of Turkey by right of conquest ; 
so was Judea ; Greece revolted against its sovereign, 
and that revolt is justified, on the plea of tyranny and 
cruelty shown on the part of Turkey. The governor of 
some Turkish provinces revolted against its sovereign, 
claiming independent sovereignty for himself, and then 
Judea became the property of a rebel by right of con- 
quest. Judea is held under a tyranny far worse than 
that which justified Greece in her revolt ; but Greece 
had length of chain enough to seize the sword where- 
with to strike the first blow for her liberty, and England 
quickly struck the second ! Judea is so shackled that if the 
sword were in her hand she could not strike for free- 
dom : but surely the same principle which made it just 
in England to strike the second blow for Greece would 
make it just in her to strike the first for Judea. If the 
right of rebel conquest justifies the Pasha of Egypt in 
holding Judea under the hand of tyranny and in misery, 
the right of humanity and justice, which wrought so 
powerfully on England in behalf of Greece, Belgium, 
and Portugal, would justify her in befriending Judea. 
It is the right of rebel conquest against the right of hu- 
manity, justice, and freedom ! 

I say nothing upon the subject of England's right to 
interfere by force of arms ; though if the claims of hu- 
manhy, if the cries of the oppressed, if the wrongs of the 
injured, if to protect the fallen, if to shield the weak, if 
to restore freedom to the slave, if to turn aside the cime- 
ter of wanton cruelty, if to assert the glorious rights of 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 299 

liberty of conscience and freedom of person could ever 
justify an appeal to arms, there is cause enough, indeed, 
for England to unsheath the sword for Judea. But there 
are more peaceful, more bloodless ways for England to 
effect her liberation ; and I know no better way than as 
she did for Greece, Belgium, and Portugal — by money, 
protocols, and threats. I defy the whole world, my 
Lords, to prove that it would not be just by these means 
to accomplish such an object. 

We have adopted less praiseworthy means when we 
have thought it our interest to accomplish a purpose. We 
stole Gibraltar ; we bartered by force for Malta ; we 
bowed ourselves into the Ionian islands. We thought 
Tippoo had no right to the Mysore country, therefore 
we turned him out and took it ourselves. We first stole 
Cheduba, and, because the King of Burmah said we had 
no right to it, as it was his, we beat him, made him pay 
us money for the trouble, and then stole more of his 
country. Once upon a time, when the Protestant sub- 
jects of the King of France were in rebellion in the Ce- 
vennes, England, ** compassionating their condition, re- 
solved to supply them with all they wanted, and to send 
them arms, ammunition^ and mon«y." 

But, my Lords, would it be glorious for England to 
accomplish the liberation of Jerusalem and Judea ? If it 
would not be, 1 do not know what mould be. This is not 
the first time of iheir captivity, and we have the record 
of a glorious liberation once already afforded them by a 
mighty prince, well worthy of England's following. 
" Now, in the first year of Cyrus, that the word of th=e 
Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the 
Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia, (hat 
he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and 
put in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, King of Per- 



800 LETTER ON THE 

sia, the Lord God of heaven hath given me all the king- 
doms of the earth, and hath charged me to build him a 
house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is there 
among you of all his people ? His God be with him, and 
let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build 
the house of the Lord God of Israel ; and whosoever re- 
maineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men 
of his place help him with silver and with gold, with 
goods and with beasts, besides the free-will offering for 
the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. Then rose 
up the chief of the fathers of Judah and "Benjamin, and 
the priests, and the Levites, with all whose spirit God 
had raised." 

Surely, if ever there was a glorious sight, it was when 
the chief of the fathers of Judah rose up and gathered 
the children of a long captivity together, to return to their 
own land ; when the men of the place where they had 
sojourned united, with one accord, at the instance of 
their prince, to help them with gold, and silver, and 
goods, and beasts, adding, out of esteem to the people, 
and in veneration for their God, a free-will offering for 
his temple at Jerusalem. Need England blush to be an 
instrument for the same purpose to which Cyrus was ap- 
pointed 1 Thfjre was no jewel in the Persian diadem 
equal in glory to this act of his ; there is not on record 
so noble, so princely a doing as this, setting free from 
their bondage of seventy years a whole nation, and send- 
ing them to their home laden with the gifts of all the 
kingdoms of the earth. And, oh ! that England might 
be the means, in the hand o[ God, of again effecting the 
restoration of Israel. And why not ? It is most assured- 
ly in her power, should God give her the desire to do 
it. It was a glorious thing in England to strike off the 
fetters from six hundred thousand slaves, and to set them 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 301 

fr«6 at the cost of twenty millions. The price was but 
as dust compared to the purchase ; and how would it be 
less glorious to give liberty to the thousands that are 
under despotism in Judea ? 

It was a glorious thing when, some years ago, Eng- 
land stretched her hand to the west, and, by the single 
act of " recognition^'^ raised nations to freedom, which 
for so many generations had been the victims of Spa- 
nish tyranny ; and would it be less glorious for her to 
turn to the east and raise up to freedom a holy land, 
a hallowed people, a sacred city, which has for centu* 
ries been the victim of Mahometan despotism ? It was a 
glorious thing for England when, upon the field of Run*- 
nymede, she won the charter of her liberties at the point 
of the sword, though she had scarcely learning enough 
to record it with the pen ; and next to winning our owi^ 
liberty, what is so glorious as to win it for others ? But 
Palestine has the claim of relationship upon England ; 
she is at least our foster-mother. Where did we a^*- 
quire the knowledge of the true God ? who taught us 
our human history? When we were an infant nation, 
who taught us " to do justly^ to love mercy, and to walk 
humbly with our God ?" That ancient hoolt which for a 
thousand years had lain open on the lap of Judah. 

I cannot speak now of all that we owe her ; of all 
that binds us to her ; of all that is mysterious and divine 
in her as the birth-place of Christ and his gospel. I 
speak only of her as having had hidden in her bosom 
for so many ages " the Book of Life," the only know- 
ledge of the true God, the only source of true religion. 
What is the learning of Greece and Rome ? what are 
the ethics, the morals, the philosophy of the ancient 
nations ? which seem to make us their debtor, compared 
with what we owe Jerusalem? What is the city of 

26 



302 LETTER ON THE 

Romulus, or Dido, or Alexander compared with Zion, 
the city of David, of Solomon, and of Simon the Just ? 
"What is the temple of Janus, or Juno, or Jupiter com- 
pared to the temple of the living God ? What is the 
palace of the Caesars compared v^ith the palace of the 
kings of Judah ? or what are the tombs of the poets 
compared to the tombs of the prophets ? 

It is a glorious thing for England to be the mother and 
the mistress of nations, but she can be neither to Judah. 
When England was an unformed thing, a nonentity in 
the womb of nations, Judea was living in her pride 
of beauty. She is too ancient to call England her 
" mother ;" too holy, too venerable, to call her ** mis- 
tress ;" but she may call her '' restorer." Every stone 
in Jerusalem is sacred, and cries aloud for deliverance 
from Mahometan desecration, and it would be glorious 
for England to effect this. 

The face of the world is covered with the ruins of 
ancient nations, and it may be asked if England is to 
search among them for fragments, out of which to re- 
model new ones ? I do not say she is, but when we 
see the beauteous remnants of Judah, and call to mind 
all that she has been, her former favour with God, the 
promises yet unfulfilled concerning her, the sacred 
claims she has upon civilized Europe, it really seems 
to be the duty of England to stand forth as her restorer. 

See how Jerusalem sits mourning in captivity ; the 
iron fetters wreathed round her aged holy limbs, the 
scourge laid deeply into her naked back, her garments 
torn and stained with blood, bitter tears of agony and 
repentance have been her food both night and day ; for 
near a thousand years no word of pity has cheered her 
day of suffering ; she has heard no voice but that of 
tyranny ; she is alone in her misery, forsaken by those 



LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. 303 

that should befriend her, and despised in her affliction. 
by nations in prosperity. Freedom in a moment of 
anger shook the dust from her garment upon her and 
fled. Tyranny usurped the vacant seat. Bereaved of 
her children, robbed of her name, her rights trampled 
upon, her liberty destroyed ; surely if ever it were just 
to help the injured, to succour the afflicted, to strike for 
the oppressed, to stand between the fallen and the foe, 
it were just in England to rise up with power on behalf 
of Judea. 

And what a glorious thing it were to do this ! To 
break the iron rod of despotism that tyrants have so 
long held over this unhappy country ; to purchase from 
savage superstition the power of torturing its victims, 
and to give those victims the precious balm of liberty, 
wherewith to heal their wounds ; to restore a wandering, 
but patriotic, people to their long-mourned capital and 
country ; to raise up the walls and bulwarks of that once 
noble city ; to see battlements and towers lifting their 
lofty heads ; palaces, monuments, and dwellings spread- 
ing hither and thither. It were indeed a glorious sight 
to see the banished returning homeward ; sires and sons 
all hastening toward the city which they and their 
forefathers had wept for so long ; to see industry assume 
the place that cringing penury had so long kept ; to hear 
the hum of men happy in their occupations, where late 
was only desolation and indolence. 

It would have been a glorious thing to have heard 
the universal shaut of the ten thousand Greeks when, 
returning homeward, they first looked down upon their 
own blue sea ; would it be a less glorious thing to hear 
the cry that would burst from ten thousand Jews when 
they first beheld the shores, of their own " Holy Land ?*' 



304 LETTER, ETC. 

At a future time I may take leave to urge this matter 
again upon your Lordships, in another letter, and 

I have the honour to remain 
Your Lordships' most obedient, humble servant, 

THOMAS POWELL, 

Curate of Tintern. 
Tintern^ Monmouthshire, 



GENTILES PRAYING FOR THE JEWS. 

1 . Father of faithful Abra'm, heat 

Our earnest suit for Abra'm's seed ; 
Justly they claim the softest prayer 

From us, adopted in their stead, 
Who mercy through their fall obtain, 
And Christ by their rejection gain. 

2. Outcast from thee,, and scattered wide 

Through every nation under heaven^, 
Blaspheming whom they crucified, 

Unsaved, unpity'd, unforgiven : 
Branded like Cain, they bear their load, 
Abhorr'd of men, and cursed of God. 

3. But hast thou finally forsook, 

For ever cast thine own away I 
Wilt thou not bid the murderers look 

On him they pierced,^ and weep and pray ? 
Yes, gracious Lord, thy word is past ; 
All Israel shall be saved at last. 

4. Come, then, thou great Deliverer, come, 

The veil from Jacob's heart remove ; 
Receive thy ancient people home, 

That, quicken'd by thy dying love. 
The world may their reception view, 
And shout to God the glory due. 
26* 



THE INCREASE OF THE CHURCH PROMISED AND 
PLEADED. 

1. Father, is not thy promise pledged 

To thine exalted Son, 
That through the nations of the earth 
Thy word of life shall run ? 

2. * Ask, and I give the heathen lands 

For thine inheritance, 
And to the world's remotest shores 
Thine empire shall advance.' 

3. Hast thou not said the blinded Jews 

Shall their Redeemer own ; 
While Gentiles to his standard crowd, 
And bow before his throne ? 

4. From east to west, from north to south. 

Then be his name adored ! 
Europe, with all thy millions, shout 
Hosannas to thy Lord ! 

5. Asia and Africa, resound 

From shore to shore his fame i 
And thou, America, in songs 
Redeeming love proclaim I 



INDEX 



PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE 

QUOTED IN THIS WORK. . 







GENESIS. 








JOB. 


Oh. 


Verse. 




Ch. 


Verse. 






3 


15,21 


79,80 


19 


25 


244 




14 
15 


14 
6 


185 
80 








PSALMS. 


17 


1-14 


82, 199 


2 


3 


240 




2X 


4 


90 


— 


6 


225 




37 


31 


132 


17 


15 


244 








EXOD. 


22 
23 


22 
1-4 


97,105 
248 


4 


24-26 


37,90,92,199, 


45 


6,7 


225 




12 


33-36 


264 


68 


9 


127 




— 


48,49 


168, 172 


69 


3 


149 




16 


27 


223 


89 


9 


127 




34 


16 


69 


— 


14 


225 








LEV. 


103 
110 


3,3 
1 


244 
225 




8 


6 


135 


— 


7 


149 




10 


3 


193 


118 


22-24 


153 




11 


32 


177 


119 


6 


199 




12 
15 


1-3 
16 


89 
186 








PRGV. 


23 


14, 17 


68 

NUMBERS. 


1 
27 


23 
5,6 


80 
223 


EGCL. 


6 


27 


154 


3 


1 


240 




19 


7,8 


186 








CANT. 






DEUT. 


3 


4 


246 




.12 


31,32 


35 








ISAIAH. 






2 SAMUEL. 


2 


1-3 


271 




23 


5 


80 


25 


9 


267 








1 KINGS. 


33 22 

49 22, 23 


225 
264 




6 


43 


154 


53, 3-5 


268 




23 


35 


223 


59 21 


80 








2 ICINGS, 


60 
63 


20 
6 


154 

80 




5 


10,14 


180 


65 


8 


165 








EZRA. 


66 


17,18 
19,20 


153 

265 




S 


2, 10, 11 
11 


69 
69 








JER. 






NEHEMIAH. 


11 

50 


16,17 
49 


67, 160 
134 




» 9 


236 


51 


13. 


140 





I 



308 



INDEX. 







DANIEL. 






MATT. 


Ch. 


Verse. 




Ch 


Verse. 




7 


6,7 


261 

EZEKIEL. 


28 


19,20 


44, 57, 58, 112, 156, 
170, 172, 173 


47 


1-12 


270 






MARK. 






HOSEA. 


1 


1,2 
4 


173, 174 
170 


1 


10,11 


272 


7 


2-8 


116,176,179 


2 


23 


272 


— 


6-9 


168 






JOEL, 


10 


13 
14 


52 
76 


2 


28,29 


63,65 


— 


38 


125 


3 


la 


270 


11 


25,26 


216 






ZECH. 


12 
13 


10 
12,13 


154 
230 


6 


13 


80 


16 


15,16 


45, 55, 56, 58, 112, 


8 


23 


273,276 






156, 170 


12 
14 


10 

8 


267, 268 
270 






LUKE. 


— 


9 


279 


1 


59 


90 






MATT. 


2 
3 


21 
2 


90 
171 


2 


16 


52 





3 


174 


3 


1 


139 


— 


10-12 


236 


— 


6,8,16 


56, 102, 114, 116, 


— 


22 


173 






126, 133, 156, 170 


4;i2 


173 


— 


16 


139, 148, 170 


7i29, 30 


169,209 


5 


12 


230 


-47 


246 


— 


16 


243 


9 23 


229 


" 


21,22 


215 


— 54 


164 





27,28 


215 


1138 


138, 179 





33-37 


215 


1247 


227 


-__ 


38-42 


215 


— 48 


241 


__ 


43 45 


216 


— 50 


125 


6 


1-7 


219 


1416 


59 




14-18 


216,219 


— 26,27,33 


228 





19-34 


219 


16 8 


251 


7 


1-6 


219 


18 15 


52 




15-20 


234 


20,17 


154 





21-23 


251 


2i;24 


262 





24-27 


227 


22 29 


80 


11 


2 


59 


24 


21 


164 




13 
25,26 


174 
209 


■ 




JOHN. 


13 




163,165 


1 


6,33 


170, 171 


U 


21 


52 


— 


11,12 


259 


16 


18 


109 


— 


12, 13 


157 




24 


220 


— 


17 


106 


18 


15-17 


164 


— 


18 


172 


Id 


13 


52 


— 


29 


156 




14 


54, 76 


3 


3»4 


152 


20 


22 


125 


— 


5 


242 


21 


15,38 


52, 195 


— 


16 


80, 141 


— 


42 


154 


— 


22,23 


114, 117, 134, 139, 


23 


38,39 


267,268 






140,141,170 


25 




165 


4 


1 


156 



I 







INDEX 




309 


1 


r JOHN. 




ACTS. 


Ch. 


' Verse. 




Ch. 


Verse. 




4 


' 2 


76 


15 




92 


— 


25 


278 


— 


5 


72 


627 


80 





10 


71 


7,39 


188 


16 


13-15, 34 


47,73,74,76 


--!47 


209 




29 


56,74 


839 


65 


18 


8 


47 


10 28. 


81 


19 


1-6 


175 


13 


15 


233 


— 


4 


56, 174 


— 


17 


227 


— 


32, 41 ' 


97 


— 


34, 35 


220, 226, 232 


— 


39 


97 


15 


8 


233,240,243 


20 


7 


154 


— 


12,13 


233 


— 


28 


98 


— 


14 


223 


— 


30 


59 


— 


18, 19 


230, 231 


21 


5 


52 


16 


33 


231 


— 


18-20 . 


260 


17 


9, 20-24 


81 

ACTS. 


- 


21 


90 

ROM.. 


1 


3 


159 


1 


19-32 


25 


— 


5 


189 


2 


24 


244 


— 


6 


164 


4 


4-12 


80 


— 


13,14 


153 


— 


11 


55,87 


— 


15 


109 


5 


1 


246 


— 


26 


259 


— 


3-5 


238, 247 


2 


14,22 


259 


— 


7-10 


238 


— 


16-18 


65 


■ 6 


1-13 


45 116,126,129,130 


— 


29 


65 






132, 148, 150^203, 


— 


33 


65 






242 


— 


37-39 


55,56,61,156,170 


7 


4 


239 


. — 


41 


47,48,56,109,156 


8 


29 


230 


— ■ 


42, 44 


153 


— T 


30 


253 


— 


47 


98, 109 


~ 


35-39 


248 


4 


4 
11 


109 
154 


1 11 


2, 11,12, 
15 • 


1270,273,276 


— 


32 


279 


1 — 


16 


66 


6 


7 


260 


; — 


25 


263 


.7 


19 


52 


i — 


29 


84 


— 


38 


105 


i 12 


17,19 


216 


8 


1 
12 


109 

47, 48, 153, 195 


1 




1 COR. 


^^ 


28-46 


137 


' 1 


16 


73 


— 


36-39 


47, 48, 56, 88, 156, 


; —130 


81 






170 


■ 417 


98 


— 


m 


34, 114, 126, 139, 


6 17 


81 






140, 141 


--119,20 


243 


9 


11,15 


48 


7 14 


66 


— 


18 


47, 156 


10 2 


125 


10 


— rr-T- 


73 


—In 


155 


— 


33-48 


47, 73 


— 31 


243 


11 


16 


59 


1127 


55 


— 


20 


2?8 


— 28 


i.52 


— 


26 


59 


- 29, 30 


200 


13 


1 


98 


13 4-8,13 


222 


— 


22 


223 


14 4,19,28, 


J98 


u 


22 


231 


1 35 


^ 


123, 27 


98 


.m 


1,2 


154 



310 



INDEX. 



1 COR. 



Ch. 


Verse. 




Ch. 


Verse. 




16 


15 


73 


2 


5 


80, 152 






2 COR. 


— 


19 


253 


4 


13 


80 






2 TIM. 


— 


16-18 


247 


3 


12 


229 


5 


I 


247 


4 


8.9 


244 


13 


17 
5 


152 
244 






TITUS. 






GAL. 


2 


10 

12 


243 
239 


2 


1,31 


96 


— 


19 


253 


— 


20 


244 


3 


5 


242 


3 


16 


80 


— 


14 


235 


4 


27 
1-11 


128, 129, 132 
96 






HEB. 


— 


21-33 


96 


1 


3 


81 


— 


29 


230 


2 


12,25 


97, 105 


5 


13 


222 


5 


4,5 


225 


— 


22,23 


80 


6 


11 


244 


6 


2 


223 


7 


16 


107 






EPH. 


8 


5 
6-13 


30 
96 


1 


4 


253 


9 


9, 10 


96, 107, 183 


— 


13 


88 


... 


12 


81 


— 


22 


98 


... 


24 


81 


2 


6-8 


81 


10 


24-27 


223 


— 


20 


154 


... 


34 


244 


4 


5 


175 


11 


6 


55 


5 


23,24,30 


81,98 


12 


24 


98 


6 


18 


169, 223 

PHIL. 


13 


20,21 


244 

JAMES. 


1 


21 


248 


1 


26,27 


226 


E 


5-U 


226 


2 


15,16 


240 






COL, 


3 

4 


14-17 
11,12 


219 
219 


1 
2 


18,24 
3 


98 
225 






1 PETER. 


— 


11,12 


90, 126, 129, 130, 


2 


4 


154 






132,242 


— 


15 


244 


3 


13 


223 


— 


20-24 


216 






I THESS. 


3 


9 
21,22 


216 
90,242 


3 
5 


3 
15 


230 
216 






2 PETER, 






2 THESS. 


1 


5-8 
10 


241 
244 


2 


13 


253 






1 JOHN, 






1 TIM. 


3 


11,12 


230 


1 


12 
16 


244 
269 


— 


10,14,16 
19,21 


1 233, 244 



1 TIM. 



INDEX. 



311 



Ch. 
4 



Verse. 
10,11 
19 
11,12 

20,21 



1 JOHN. 



233 

226, 246 
80 



JUDE. 



223 



Ch. 


Verse. 


1 


10 


— 


15 


13 


5 


14 


2 


17 


1 


19 


6 



REVELA. 



154 
140 
261 
140 
140 
140 



3477 



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